After getting green signal from the market regulator, Securities Exchange Board of India for an initial public offer (IPO), India’s largest commodity exchange by turnover - Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) is all set to launch IPO by month-end. The issue is being eyed by the investor category as many companies have already deferred their IPO plans and MCX’s IPO will be first public offer of the year. The exchange aims to raise nearly about Rs 750 crore through this issue.

It is reported that the issue will open on February 21 and close on February 24, 2012 thereby making MCX the country’s first exchange to be listed on the bourses. Edelweiss Capital, Citigroup and Morgan Stanley are bankers for the issue.

MCX presently enjoys more than 80% market share of the Rs 144 lakh crore commodity futures market, will file the red herring prospectus with the registrar of companies, informing it about the IPO’s open and close dates. With this offer, the existing shareholders viz., Financial Technologies, SBI, Corporation Bank, Bank of Baroda, ICICI Lombard General Insurance, GLG Financials and Alexandra Mauritius will sell nearly 12.6% of their share from MCX’s paid-up capital.

Placed its footprint eight years ago, MCX specializes in offering precious and industrial metals and energy futures contracts. Gold and silver futures post the highest trading turnover, followed by energy, metals and agricultural products.