Margin requirements for index futures to be hiked

Margin requirements for stock index futures may be hiked to 12 percent from 10 percent to control trading risks, a source close to the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) said yesterday.

The regulator will also significantly reduce the single-day maximum holding of futures contracts to 100 from 600 set previously during the trial period.

The move intends to manage the potential trading risks of the index futures, the newly approved financial tool with high leverage that allows investors to profit from declines in equity prices.