China’s stockmarket shows signs of life

Hong Kong’s markets are “booming”, says Bloomberg. The city was the world’s busiest market for initial public offerings (IPOs) in the first half of the year, with $45bn raised, compared with just $6.3bn for the same period in 2024. The former British colony has endured a difficult period ever since Covid restrictions cut it off from the world, while the local economy remains sluggish. Now a surge in listings is keeping local bankers busy. Most activity is coming from mainland Chinese firms, whic...