Stock Exchange yesterday has pushed the exchange's market capitalisation to more than $25 billion.

And the BSX may have jumped by as many as a20 places in the rankings of the world's largest stock markets.

BSX chief executive officer William Woods said EXEL added about $3.3 billion in market capitalisation the Exchange.

Earlier this year, fellow liability insurer ACE Ltd. ($2 billion in market capitalisation), along with the Jardine group of companies ($17-plus billion) took secondary listings on the Exchange.

Mr. Woods said Euromoney magazine ranked the BSX as the 58th largest stock market at the end of 1995 with market capitalisation of $1.5 billion for its domestic listings.

Its current capitalisation would see it ranked 33rd between Austria and Turkey.

Mr. Woods said there is now an "ongoing marketing effort to attract (the Island's property catastrophe reinsurance companies) to take secondary listings.'' The exchange is also hoping to attract Hong Kong Stock Exchange listed companies. About 270, or more than half the total of the listed companies are Bermuda registered.

EXEL, the second liability insurer to be listed on the BSX after ACE Ltd., traded at $70.875 on volume of 1,000 during the BSX's morning trading session.

Exchange, EXEL and Government representatives gathered yesterday morning at the Bank of Bermuda to mark the insurer's first day of trading. Bermuda International Securities Ltd., the Bank of Bermuda's brokerage arm, sponsored the listing.

Woods and EXEL president Brian O'Hara watch the commencement of trading.