(Yicai Global) June 4 -- FTSE Russell will include recently listed Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway and WuXi AppTec Group in its stock benchmark of China's 50 biggest mainland-listed firms as part of its quarterly review.

The London-headquartered stock index provider will remove display maker BOE Technology Group [SHE: 000725] and cybersecurity firm 360 Security Technology [SHA: 601360] from the FTSE China A50 Index, it announced on its website yesterday. The changes will take effect before trading starts on June 22.

Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway [SHA: 601816], China's most profitable rail operator that has endured travel halts amid the Covid-19 pandemic, was listed in January. Shanghai-based WuXi AppTec [SHA: 603259], which produces drugs for global pharmaceutical giants, has been looking to expand in the US despite the virus epidemic.

The reasons behind changes typically include shrinking valuations or liquidity problems caused by trading suspensions, a person at the global financial giant told Yicai Global earlier.

The FTSE China A50 Index equals to about a third of mainland-listed shares and, hence, is seen by many as an accurate indicator of market-wide performance. USD-dominated SGX FTSE China A50 Index Futures, which is traded on the Singapore market, is based on the benchmark.

FTSE Russell put five companies into its watchlist, including construction machinery maker Sany Heavy Industry [SHA: 600031], ophthalmic medical institution Aier Eye Hospital Group [SHE: 300015], securities brokerage Huatai Securities [SHA: 601688], chemicals manufacturer Wanhua Chemical Group [SHA: 600309], and electric vehicle maker BYD [SHE: 002594], with possible additions after the next quarterly review.

Editor: Tang Shihua, Emmi Laine