Stock sales to resume in April

China's securities regulator will lift the yearlong ban on new mainland share issuances "in the near future" and possibly as early as April, the South China Morning Post reported, citing high-level sources. The ban is likely to be lifted in two stages. Initially, large A-share listed companies would be allowed to raise capital by issuing new shares. This would be followed by the first initial public offering from a small or medium-sized company once an ideal candidate had been identified. Authorities are hoping a strong first offering will boost confidence in mainland markets and attract interest for larger subsequent listings. A number of Hong Kong-listed mainland companies have expressed an intent to list on the A-share market.