A friend of mine, now retired from investment banking and working in private equity, was recently interviewing with one of China’s behemoth institutions in Hong Kong, with a view to potentially returning to his old beat, that is equity capital markets. read
HONG KONG (Dow Jones Banking Intelligence) – Citigroup Inc.’s sale of its remaining stake in Housing Development Finance Corp (HDFC) comes as no surprise amid rising markets combined with a pressing need to find extra capital. Other Western firms have already been there in China over the last couple of years. Meanwhile Asian houses are seizing the opportunity to grow, on the back of their Western peers’ renewed asset dumps. read
HONG KONG (Dow Jones Investment Banker) – In sharp contrast to most other IPOs in Hong Kong this year, and as smaller competitor Beijing Jingkelong Co Ltd has just had its application for a listing in Shanghai rejected by China’s Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), mainland hypermarket operator Sun Art Retail Group Limited has posted a 26% gain since its US$1.1 billion IPO last July. Nine blue-chip cornerstone investors came in at the time of the offering for a combined US$420 million. Some of these may now perhaps consider exiting, and locking in capital gains after the expiry of their lock-ups early next year. We look at the stock’s valuation and liquidity, and at which firms might best be positioned to print a trade. read
