Imsa included on new stock exchange index

Mexican steel and construction materials conglomerate Grupo Imsa (IMSAUBC.MX) has been included on the Mexico City stock market's (BMV) new stock index (IPC) for the period February 2005 to January 2006, Imsa said. The BMV decides which companies to include on the IPC index according to their performance, trading volumes and returns. Companies that are performing badly and have poor liquidity are dropped from the IPC index. Imsa's CFO Marcelo Canales Clariond said he was "very satisfied" that the company's shares have been included in the IPC index for the first time. "This is a firm step in our objective of increasing the liquidity of our stock. We are committed to working towards making Grupo Imsa a financial instrument that creates value for our shareholders," Canales said. He added that Imsa's inclusion on the stock market index would increase the opportunities for the company to be included in the portfolios of new investors, such as pension funds and mutual funds. Grupo Imsa is one of Mexico's leading diversified industrial companies. It operates in three core businesses, steel processed products, steel and plastic construction products and aluminum and other related products. The company has manufacturing and distribution facilities in Mexico, the US, Europe and throughout Central and South America.