HK's IPO fundraising reaches world's highest in 2015

HONG KONG - Hong Kong's IPO fundraising from Jan 1, 2015 to Dec 15, 2015 was HK$246.5 billion($31.8 billion), the world's highest for the period, the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEx) said.

HKEx said on Sunday that there had been 125 new listings since the beginning of 2015 and total equity funds raised from Jan 1, 2015 to Dec 15, 2015 was HK$1,058.3 billion, in which HK$246.5 billion through IPOs and HK$811.8 billion from post-IPO fundraising, exceeding the full-year record high established in 2014.

From January to November 2015, turnover of securitized derivatives (derivative warrants and Callable Bull/Bear Contracts) in Hong Kong was the world's highest for the period and HKEx has been the global leader in securities derivatives turnover every year since 2007, according to data from the World Federation of Exchanges quoted by HKEx.

Turnover in HKEx's securities and derivatives markets also saw new single-year highs, reaching HK$25,532 billion and 183,221,506 contracts respectively. The former broke the record of HK$ 21,666 billion in 2007, while the latter set a new high since last year's 142,439,039 contracts.

The market capitalization of HKEx's securities market exceeded HK$31 trillion for the first time, reaching its high for the year of HK$31.6 trillion on May 26, 2015.

As of Dec 15, 2015, there were 1,854 listed companies in Hong Kong, with 1,635 on the Main Board.