The firm's announcement comes two weeks after the authorities promulgated a stock option incentive scheme for domestically listed SOEs.

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Baosteel, recently rated as having an excellent credit rating by Standard & Poor's, said yesterday in a filing to the Shanghai Stock Exchange that offers will be made to board members, senior management and other selected staff to buy the company's shares at below stock market prices.

Each person qualified under the scheme will be permitted to hold no more than 1 per cent of Baosteel stock, and they will be required to hold the shares for at least two years.

At least five board members, including company President Xu Lejiang, will benefit from the scheme, Baosteel said, without disclosing how many shares are expected to be offered.

Stock option schemes, one of the most popular employee-incentive plans adopted in Western countries, can produce greater commitment and loyalty from a workforce as it gives them a chance to share in the firm's growth potential.

The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) promulgated a stock-option incentive scheme for domestically listed SOEs on December 6. Baosteel is the first central SOE to adopt such a scheme, but others are expected to follow suit.

The announcement boosted Baosteel's shares yesterday.

The company opened at a higher price of 7.82 yuan (99 US cents) yesterday and surged more than 6 per cent to 8.34 yuan (US$1.1) in early trading before ending the day at 7.9 yuan (US$1).

The Shanghai composite index surged more than 2 per cent in early trade before falling back into negative territory in the late morning. It posted an all-time closing high of 2,364 points.

"The announcement of stock incentive plans is no doubt good news for small- and medium-sized shareholders," said Zhao Zhicheng, a steel analyst with Guangda Securities in Shanghai.

"Shareholders expect the senior management of the firm will be more concerned about Baosteel's development and more diligent, as their personal benefits are now linked to the company's market value," he said.

The highest price yesterday, a 6.6 per cent increase from yesterday's opening, is reflection of this confidence, he added.

According to a recent report issued by Standard & Poor's, Baosteel, which ranks fifth in the world with an annual steel output of 20 million tons, has one of the best credit ratings in the world.

The company was given A-, up from BBB+, becoming one of only two global steel companies with that rating.

A statement from Baosteel said the upgrade reflected Standard & Poor's confidence in the company and would help it raise more funds on overseas capital markets.

Baosteel is planning an overseas listing by 2010, while targeting Japan's Nippon Steel Corp and South Korea's POSCO as strategic partners. Such a tie-up, which would probably take place through cross-shareholding in each company, would be an important step towards Baosteel's overseas listing.

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