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Hong Kong is expected to loosen its listing rules and launch a commodity futures market to attract more listings and businesses as part of the efforts to maintain its status as Asia's financial hub, Chief Executive Donald Tsang said yesterday.

 

In his annual policy address to the Legislative Council, the Special Administrative Region's (SAR) legislature, Tsang said: "To maintain our leading (financial) position, we must pursue further liberalization. The source of enterprises seeking to list in Hong Kong should be broadened."

 

His remarks appeared to address concerns expressed by some economists that Hong Kong, currently Asia's largest listed bourse, may lose its leading position amid a lack of new listings. Most of the mainland's largest companies have already floated shares in the city.

 

Tsang's proposal also came after the mainland's yuan-dominated A-share market rebounded after a five-year lull and is now witnessing an increasing number of share sales, with many being launched by companies that have already listed in Hong Kong.

 

Tsang called for a quick amendment of "existing listing rules to enable well-established and qualified foreign enterprises from different parts of the world to list in Hong Kong."

 

Stephen Hui, a listing committee member of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, supported Tsang's proposal.

 

The exchange "has been working in this respect for years we are now considering relaxing the restrictions on the place of registration to lure more global listing candidates."

 

Currently, only companies registered in Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland, the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands can apply to list in the city.

 

The rule should be changed to take into account the impact of globalization, said Hui, who called for it to include more countries and regions such as Australia.

 

"Hong Kong's equity market has long relied on H-shares and State-owned mainland enterprises. With the maturity of the A-share market, Hong Kong may no longer be the first priority for mainland enterprises."

 

Tsang also called for the establishment of a commodity futures market to explore opportunities brought by surging demand from the mainland.

 

"We will conduct an in-depth study on the development of the commodity futures market," said Tsang.

 

Only non-commodity products such as indexes and warrants are currently traded in Hong Kong's futures market. Local businesses are calling on the SAR authorities to cooperate with the mainland and allow the transaction of commodities in the city.

 

Hong Kong brokers are now allowed to establish joint ventures with mainland partners and trade futures on the mainland. Some believe a synergy could be reached if such trading can also take place in Hong Kong.

 

"Hong Kong has experience in operating a futures market. It's just a matter of time (until a commodity futures market is launched in Hong Kong)," said Frances Cheung, an economist at Standard Chartered Bank (HK).

 

But she cautioned that setting up such an exchange could be a very complex process, urging the SAR authorities to work closely on this with the central government.

 

Tsang also said the Hong Kong government is fully prepared to launch two new types of renminbi businesses import settlement and yuan bond issuance in the city, both of which are awaiting the approval of the central government.

 

"Hong Kong is now experienced in RMB business after running it smoothly for two years," he said.

 

As a testing ground for greater flexibility in the mainland's foreign exchange regime, Hong Kong can now run four types of RMB transactions remittance, deposit, exchange and credit card.

 

(China Daily October 12, 2006)