China's securities regulator said Friday the State Council had approved "in principle" the launch of index futures and given the green light to pilot the margin trading business, in an attempt to boost the stable and healthy development of the capital market.

The regulator would select the first batch of securities companies for the margin trading business soon, based on their net capital, risk control and regulatory management, said an official with the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC).

Margin trading allows securities companies to lend stocks and money to investors, which would interest companies with abundant capital, such as CITICS Securities.

The pilot program would be gradually expanded according to its progress, said the official, offering no specific timetable.

It would take about three months to prepare for the launch of stock-index futures, a long-awaited futures item, according to the CSRC.

The CSRC would prepare a series of standards which investors would have to meet, an entry-permit for financial institutions, as well as regulations for approving futures contracts and opening of investors' accounts.

Related

• Index futures likely to debut in March
• Margin trading likely to start from next year, say analysts

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