Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing has recorded a $478.8 million first-quarter profit, up 95% on last year, with income up 49% to $854 million, and earnings per share up 96%, to 45 cents.

Announcing its Q1 results today, HKEx said its operating profit rose 93% to $561.6 million and and total assets 24% to $28.4 billion.

The quarter also saw a rise of 70% on average daily turnover on the Stock Exchange, to $31.2 billion. The average daily numbers of derivatives contracts traded on the Futures Exchange surged 37% to $87.7 million, and stock-option contracts on the Stock Exchange went up 133% to $61.8 million.

Twelve companies were newly listed on the main board and three on the Growth Enterprise Market in the quarter. The total capital raised, including post-listing funds, reached about $33 billion.

As at March 31, 940 companies were listed on the main board and 201 on the Growth Enterprise Market, with a total market capitalisation of about $9.416 trillion.

There were 1,366 derivative warrants, eight Exchange Traded Funds, three Real Estate Investment Trusts and 165 debt securities listed as at the end of March.

The average daily turnover in the first quarter was about $31 billion on the main board and about $204 million on the Growth Enterprise Market.