Category: Investment

China's labor ministry this week awarded the first operating licenses to 15 investment managers, among them foreign financial groups ING, Fortis, Deutsche Bank and Canada's Bank of Montreal, to manage China's new corporate pension schemes. As these four financial groups become the first foreign interests (in joint ventures with Chinese companies) to manage China's corporate […]

Private equity investments in China dropped in the first half of the year as the volume of deals fell more than 44% to US$659m during the period, the Financial Times reported. Experts said activity in China slowed because of recent regulatory measures aimed at curbing the use of offshore companies in Chinese private equity deals.

In a bid to shore up its sagging stock market, China will allow foreigners to buy up to US$10bn in yuan-denominated shares, the Wall Street Journal reported. The previous quota under the Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (QFII) program was US$4bn.

State media reported China is the likely first choice for the majority (52%) of foreign investors this year, citing a survey released in Paris. China rated 37% in 2004. The survey by the French offices of auditors Ernst and Young found China considerably more desirable as an investment destination than the US, which garnered 39%. […]

China is buying up US or European companies, or parts of them, with increasing frequency, the Financial Times reported, citing news reports and industry sources. Recent examples include the bid by CNOOC, the oil company, for California's Unocal and top appliance maker Haier's bid for Maytag. Earlier this year, computer maker Lenovo bought IBM's personal […]