As reported earlier on the GlobalCapital website, the Hong Kong exchange published proposals to enhance its listing framework. These fall into three distinct categories — the establishment of new biotech and weighted voting rights (WVR) chapters, as well as enhancements to the secondary listing rules. read
On July 27, the HKEx announced that “it was minded to exercise its power” to cancel the listing of China Oriental Group within a period of six months, due to the company’s insufficient public float. This, however, was only the latest step in a rather long saga, which illustrates to a tee not only that the exchange’s minimum free float rule actually serves little purpose, but also how incredibly slowly the regulators can move to make decisions in the city, thereby hurting both institutional and retail investors. read
HONG KONG (Dow Jones Investment Banker) – The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels Limited (HSH) posts good profitability and has attractive long-term prospects. Yet its limited free float diminishes sell- and buy-side interest and limits trading. The ultimate result is a weak valuation and a constraint on equity capital-raising in the public markets, should the company ever need to do so. Given this, the controlling shareholder, Sir Michael Kadoorie, should consider taking the firm private.
