WorldSpreads to list on Dublin IEX exchange

LONDON, April 17 (Reuters) - WorldSpreads Group Plc (WSPR.L) has applied to list its shares on Ireland's junior IEX market with trading expected to begin next month, the spread betting company said on Thursday.

The Dublin-headquartered firm, which joined the London AIM junior market in August, said an IEX listing was likely to enhance the liquidity of its shares, making them more attractive to Irish institutional and retail investors, who own about two thirds of the stock at present.

"The listing on the IEX market offers a euro-denominated trading facility for these locally based investors, which is significant, given present conditions in the currency markets," Chief Executive Conor Foley said in a statement.

Its Dublin listed shares are scheduled to begin trading on May 15, the company said.

Its London share price has doubled since listing at 47 pence last August and were trading 0.8 percent higher at 94 pence at 1211 GMT.

Originally established in 2000, WorldSpreads, which offers financial and sport spread betting, also has offices in London and Athens with joint venture arrangements with partners in Spain, Germany, Austria, Hungary and South Africa.

(Reporting by Jonathan Saul; editing by Rory Channing)