Earnings at the two premier stock exchanges are unlikely to be as good in 2008-09 as in the previous years, if current trends are anything to go by. The exchanges have recorded lower average daily turnovers as well as a lower number of offerings in the primary market.

Transaction charges from daily trading, and income from listing fees for initial public offerings and follow on public offerings are likely to be dented.

The BSE recorded its highest-ever earnings in 2007-08 largely on account of the rise in the average daily turnover (ADT) and higher income from investments and deposits, according to the exchanges Annual Report for that fiscal.

The ADT increased by 62.35 per cent from Rs 3,865 crore in 2006-07 to Rs 6,275 crore in 2007-08, the Directors Report of the document said.

However, the ADT reported for BSEs cash transactions so far this fiscal has been much lower at Rs 4,996.2 crore.

BSEs revenues went up by 69 per cent to Rs 420.44 crore as compared with Rs 248 crore in 2006-07.

The profit after tax almost doubled, up by 97 per cent to Rs 178.98 crore as compared with Rs 90.84 crore in the previous year.

Even in the case of the National Stock Exchange, daily turnover in the cash market has fallen to Rs 13,227 crore in the past four months of 2008-09 as compared with Rs 14,148 crore in the whole of 2007-08.

Last fiscal, NSEs turnover almost doubled to Rs 14,148 crore from Rs 7,812 crore in the previous year.

NSEs ADT in the futures and options market has also been dented; it has come down to Rs 45,340 crore in 2008-09 from Rs 52,153 crore the previous fiscal.

BSE AGM

The Bombay Stock Exchange will hold its third annual general meeting on September 19. One of the items on the agenda is a proposal for dividend of 3000 per cent or Rs 30 a share that has been approved by the BSE board, said the Directors Report. Last fiscal the exchange had given a dividend of 1250 per cent.