OTC Markets Group Launches Cannabis Index

New York City-based OTC Markets Group (OTCQX:OTCM) has launched a new index tracking marijuana stocks on its OTCQX Best Market.

Called the OTCQX Cannabis Index, it officially made its debut on Tuesday (June 4) with an initial list of 30 marijuana stocks.

“The exponential growth in publicly traded cannabis securities underscores the willingness of these companies to provide efficient trading and enhanced disclosure for investors,” Jason Paltrowitz, executive vice president of corporate services at OTC Markets Group, said in a press release.

In order to qualify for the marijuana index, companies need to trade on the OTCQX, identify as a cannabis operation and meet “a minimum liquidity screen.”

According to the exchange, there were a total of 56 cannabis-related securities trading on the OTCQX at the end of last month.

“The OTCQX Cannabis Index provides another tool for the investing public to better identify, measure and track the performance of this global industry as it progresses over time,” Paltrowitz said.

Here is a list of the companies that made the initial holdings for the index:

• AusCann Group Holdings (ASX:AC8,OTCQX:ACNNF)
• Aleafia Health (TSX:ALEF,OTCQX:ALEAF)
• Beleave (CSE:BE,OTCQX:BLEVF)
• Auxly Cannabis Group (TSXV:XLY,OTCQX:CBWTF)
• Cannex Capital Holdings (CSE:CNNX,OTCQX:CNXXF)
• Cresco Labs (CSE:CL,OTCQX:CRLBF)
• Curaleaf Holdings (CSE:CURA,OTCQX:CURLF)
• Charlotte’s Web Holdings (TSX:CWEB,OTCQX:CWBHF)
• Elixinol Global (EXL) (ASX:EXL,OTCQX:ELLXF)
• Emerald Health Therapeutics (TSXV:EMH,OTCQX:EMHTF)
• Harvest One Cannabis (TSXV:HVT,OTCQX:HRVOF)
• Harvest Health & Recreation (CSE:HARV,OTCQX:HRVSF)
• InMed Pharmaceuticals (TSX:IN,OTCQX:IMLFF)
• iAnthus Capital Holdings (CSE:IAN,OTCQX:ITHUF)
• Indiva (TSXV:NDVA,OTCQX:NDVAF)
• Invictus MD Strategis (TSXV:GENE,OTCQX:IVITF)
• James E Wagner Cultivation (TSXV:JWCA,OTCQX:JWCAF)
• Lifestyle Delivery Systems (CSE:LDS,OTCQX:LDSYF)
• Liberty Health Sciences (CSE:LHS,OTCQX:LHSIF)
• MedMen Enterprises (CSE:MMEN,OTCQX:MMNFF)
• 1933 Industries (CSE:TGIF,OTCQX:TGIFF)
• OrganiGram Holdings (TSXV:OGI,NASDAQ:OGI)
• CannaRoyalty, operating as Origin House (CSE:OH,OTCQX:ORHOF)
• The Supreme Cannabis Company (TSX:FIRE,OTCQX:SPRWF)
• The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings (TSX:TGOD,OTCQX:TGODF)
• THC BioMed International (CSE:THC,OTCQX:THCBF)
• True Leaf Brands (CSE:MJ,OTCQX:TRLFF)
• Terra Tech (OTCQX:TRTC)
• Vivo Cannabis (TSXV:VIVO,OTCQX:VVCIF)
• WeedMD (TSXV:WMD,OTCQX:WDDMF)

According to the release, these companies represent 25.28 percent of the year-to-date volume for OTCQX securities.

OrganiGram announced as part of its NASDAQ listing confirmation that its OTCQX listing stopped trading at the market closure on May 20. Meanwhile, Origin House is set to be acquired by the multi-state operator (MSO) Cresco Labs.

Beyond some of the known MSOs available in the market, this index signals the emergence of Australia-based marijuana firms with the inclusion of AusCann and EXL.

Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Cannabis for real-time news updates!

Securities Disclosure: I, Bryan Mc Govern, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Editorial Disclosure: Cannex Capital Holdings, Harvest One Cannabis, James E Wagner Cultivation and 1933 Industries are clients of the Investing News Network. This article is not paid-for content.