Frequently asked Questions
Have questions? Browse our FAQs for clear guidance on investing and using our portal
Can I pledge my shares to secure a loan?

Yes, if the lender accepts your shares as collateral. The process is straightforward.

Who pays dividends and when?

Dividends are paid by listed companies, usually once or twice a year, depending on earnings, cash availability, and company policy. Brokers do not pay dividends.

How do I get dividends?

Payment of dividends, interests and maturity proceeds are carried out by different share registries (of companies where you invest) and is carried out according to instructions contained in client’s CDS account.

When not credited directly to a bank account, dividends are paid by cheque and are sent to the client’s address, as registered in the CDS.

What do ‘cum-dividend’ and ‘ex-dividend’ mean?

When shares are traded ‘Cum-dividend’ it means buying a share includes the right to the next dividend. ‘Ex-dividend’ means the dividend belongs to the seller, not the buyer.

What is a rights issue?

It’s an offer to existing shareholders to buy additional shares at a discount, proportional to their holdings, to raise funds for the company. Share trading can be ‘cum-rights’ or ‘ex-rights’ depending on who is entitled to the rights.

What is a bonus issue?

Bonus shares are additional shares given free to existing shareholders, increasing share count but not raising new funds. This usually lowers the share price, making shares more marketable.

What is a dividend in specie?

A dividend paid in assets (like shares of another company) rather than cash. This usually happens when cash is limited or during corporate restructuring.

What does a share registry do?

It maintains shareholder records, processes transfers, issues share certificates, distributes dividends, and handles corporate actions like IPOs and rights issues.

What does a custodian bank do?

You can use our trading services while keeping your account with a local custodian. It safeguards your assets, settles transactions, distributes dividends, provides portfolio valuations, ensuring your investments are protected independently of fund managers and investment dealers.

What is the role of the Financial Services Commission (FSC)?

The FSC regulates non-bank financial services in Mauritius, including insurance, pensions, capital markets, and global business. It promotes fairness, transparency, and investor protection.

What happens to my shares or account if I die?

Once notified of your death with official documents, your account is suspended. Your heirs must provide legal documents to transfer or manage your shares. Options include leaving shares as-is, selling, or transferring them to individual accounts.

What is the difference between ordinary and preference shares?

Preference shares get priority on dividends and repayments if the company liquidates. They usually pay fixed dividends, may be redeemable, often don’t have voting rights, and can sometimes be converted into ordinary shares. Ordinary shares typically have voting rights but get dividends after preference shareholders.

What is a derivative?

A derivative is a financial contract whose value depends on an underlying asset like stocks, commodities, currencies, or bonds. Common derivatives include swaps, futures, and options.

What is a bond?

A bond is a loan made to a company or government that promises to pay back the principal plus interest over time. Bonds help borrowers raise funds for long-term needs.

What is an Exchange Traded Fund (ETF)?

An exchange-traded fund (ETF) is an investment fund that holds multiple underlying assets and can be bought and sold on an exchange, much like an individual stock. ETFs can be structured to track anything from the price of a commodity to a large and diverse collection of stocks—even specific investment strategies.

What is a Credit Linked Note (CLN)?

A Credit Linked Note (CLN) is a type of structured financial product that combines a debt instrument (like a bond) with a credit derivative, specifically a Credit Default Swap (CDS). Essentially, it allows the issuer of the note to transfer the credit risk of a reference entity (like a company or a bond) to the investor who purchases the CLN. In return for taking on this risk, the investor typically receives a higher yield than they would on a standard bond.

What is a Market Maker?

Market maker refers to a company or an individual who undertakes to buy or sell at specified prices at all times. A market maker seeks to profit from the difference in the bid-ask spread. The purpose of a market maker in a financial market is to facilitate the functionality of the market by infusing liquidity.

What is a Mutual Fund?

A mutual fund is an investment that pools money from many investors to purchase a variety of securities like stocks, bonds, and other assets. This pooled approach allows investors to benefit from diversification and professional management, often at a lower cost than they might achieve on their own.

What service is offered exclusively online on this platform and for which I shouldn’t visit the Customer Desk?

If you want to initiate a request to open a CDS account for holders of a Mauritian NIC. This service is available exclusively online on this platform and it’s free (when done online).

How to book a meeting with the Customer Desk staff?

See Contact details below and proceed with a call or by email. Then you visit our office as per the booking and bring along documents, as per list which is available here.