What is the Lima Stock Exchange (LMA) .LM

The major securities exchange market in Peru, the Lima Stock Exchange (LMA) .LM (Bolsa de Valores de Lima) began operations in 1861 but did not trade in any type of stocks for the first 30 years. The Exchange was relaunched in 1898. Business is conducted both on a trading floor and through an electronic system that was established in 1995. One of the smaller exchanges in South America, the combined market capitalization of listed companies was approximately US$170 billion as of the end of 2017, less than the market value of Coca-Cola Company.

BREAKING DOWN Lima Stock Exchange (LMA) .LM

The functions of the Lima Stock Exchange (LMA) .LM include informing members on purchases and sales, impartially executing trade instructions, registering securities, promoting securities trading, keeping the general public informed about stock values, investigating potential new products, and more. Its value-weighted S&P/BVL Peru Select Index tracks the exchange's largest and most actively traded stocks, consisting of 18-20 securities representing the materials (inclusive of agriculture and mining), financials, utilities, industrials, energy and consumer staples sectors. The total number of companies listed on the Lima Stock Exchange was around 280 as of June 2017, up from 220 at the end of 2010. The relatively slow (but steady) pace of growth is broadly reflective of the economic growth of the small country during the period.

Largest Listed Companies on the Exchange

The leading companies traded on the exchange are the following from these sectors:

  • Materials: Compania de Minas Buenaventura S.A.A., Southern Copper Company, Volcan Compania Minera S.A.A.
  • Financials: Credicorp Limited, Intercorp Financial Services Inc., Banco Continental
  • Consumer Staples: Alicorp SA, InRetail Peru Corp.
  • Industrials: Ferreycorp S.A.A., Grana Y Montero SA