SHANGHAI, June 19 (Reuters) - China Reform Holdings Corp has invested in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tracking Hong Kong-listed Chinese state-owned enterprises, the manager of state assets said on Wednesday, in a move to support the companies and stabilise the market.
"The move sends a positive signal of being firmly optimistic about the long-term value of Hong Kong-listed central SOEs," the state fund said in a statement.
China Reform said it subscribed for the initial batch of the newly launched ETFs tracking the CSI China Reform Hong Kong Connect Central-SOEs High Dividend Yield Index, which comprises state companies such as oil giant CNOOC and coal miner China Shenhua Energy.
The index, co-complied by China Reform Holdings and China Securities Index, selected central SOEs that have a prominent industry position, stable operation, abundant cash flow and high dividend level, the statement said.
The ETFs are separately managed by Invesco Great Wall , GF Fund Management, and China Southern Asset Management.
Chinese asset managers rushed to launch funds to woo investors into state-owned firms in recent years, and China's state asset regulator has repeatedly urged SOEs to improve profitability and communications with investors, in line with Beijing's overall efforts to make these firms leaner and stronger.
(Reporting by Shanghai Newsroom, Editing by Louise Heavens)