Nasdaq plans will make it tougher for small Chinese language corporations to checklist

BEIJING — The Nasdaq inventory change within the U.S. is planning itemizing necessities that can make it tougher for small Chinese language firms to checklist in New York, after a flood of tiny preliminary public choices.

As a part of proposed adjustments, firms working primarily in China might want to increase at the least $25 million in preliminary public choices to checklist on the change, Nasdaq stated late Wednesday native time.

The transfer comes as tensions between the U.S. and China simmer, and because the Nasdaq faces broader monetary market points.

“It is going to be harder for small Chinese language firms to go IPO [on the] Nasdaq below the brand new rule,” stated Winston Ma, adjunct professor at NYU College of Legislation. “The brand new rule reacts to some IPO instances of ‘pump and dump’ as a consequence of small float dimension.”

There have been been few giant Chinese language IPOs within the U.S. for the reason that fallout round ride-hailing firm Didi’s New York itemizing in 2021. However in 2024, 35 small China-based firms listed in New York, roughly twice the 17 U.S.-based microcap listings, Renaissance Capital stated in December.

Microcaps usually check with shares with market capitalizations of between $50 million and $300 million, which means the businesses raised just a few million within the preliminary public providing.

The rule change is “a constructive,” stated Gary Dvorchak, managing director at Blueshirt Group, whose enterprise consists of advising Chinese language firms on IPOs. “I believe it is going to instill extra confidence that the businesses are itemizing are doing it for reputable causes and there is much less more likely to be video games being performed with the inventory and it actually protects the businesses as properly.”

Nasdaq famous the Chinese language listings pose better danger to U.S. traders as a consequence of U.S. lack of ability to take authorized motion “in opposition to entities and people concerned in probably manipulative buying and selling actions in these securities.”

“Additional, the Trade has noticed that Chinese language firms itemizing on Nasdaq in reference to an IPO with an providing dimension under $25 million have the next fee of compliance issues,” Nasdaq stated.

The U.S. Securities and Trade Fee must formally approve Nasdaq’s proposal. Firms already within the IPO course of would then have 30 days to finish the method below prior guidelines, Nasdaq stated, whereas all subsequent listings must adjust to the adjustments.

The New York Inventory Trade, which usually solely handles far bigger IPOs, didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark outdoors of U.S. enterprise hours. The SEC and China’s Securities Regulatory Fee didn’t instantly reply both.

The Nasdaq’s itemizing requirement is “one other instance of the multitude of how wherein conducting enterprise, commerce and funding relations between the 2 international locations is rising extra complicated and tough,” stated Stephen Olson, a visiting senior fellow on the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.

In reality, the New York change’s rule change got here on the heels of Beijing’s announcement late Wednesday that it could slap new punitive tariffs on some U.S. optical fiber producers, efficient Thursday.

“China is saying: we’re ready to struggle hearth with hearth,” Olson stated. “The commerce truce is only a momentary band-aid. It might collapse at any time.”

China’s Ministry of Commerce cited a six-month investigation that discovered that some U.S. exporters had skirted China’s anti-dumping levies by promoting a modified model of the optical fiber.

New York-headquartered optical fiber producer Corning now faces a 37.9% responsibility on the product’s exports to China, OFS Fitel 33.3% and Draka Communications Americas 78.2%.

For its general enterprise, Corning counted China as its largest income outdoors the U.S., contributing 32% of its whole gross sales income in 2024, based on the corporate earnings report.

The corporate and the U.S. Commerce Division didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

China has a deficit of $57 million in optical fiber commerce with the U.S. within the first seven months this 12 months, based on the official customs figures.

That imbalance could have given Beijing the “technical pretext to behave,” stated Tianchen Xu, senior economist at Economist Intelligence Unit, noting that the objects that China imports from the U.S. are largely extra superior and thus costlier per merchandise.

“The change of fireside [between the U.S. and China] will proceed in some ways,” Xu predicts, which could derail plans for a gathering between the 2 international locations’ presidents.

The choice got here a day after Washington revoked Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s authorization to ship key chipmaking tools and know-how to its manufacturing plant in China, the most recent transfer to curb Beijing’s semiconductor advances.

China’s optical fiber tariff “indicators displeasure” on current U.S. strikes to limit Beijing’s entry to superior chips and participation within the undersea cable provide chain, stated Alfredo Montufar-Helu, managing director at advisory agency GreenPoint.

However the tariff is “additionally focused and restrained sufficient to keep away from shattering months of commerce negotiations. And it additionally serves as a reminder that China’s leverage extends past uncommon earths,” Montufar-Helu stated.

Whereas China has sought to encourage home monetary growth, it has additionally been eager to manage capital outflows, together with inventory choices abroad. New insurance policies within the final three years have required Chinese language firms to get the securities regulator’s approval for abroad listings, particularly if their enterprise has a big home person base.

Stateside, Nasdaq’s transfer marks a giant step in what’s been rising regulatory scrutiny on tiny Chinese language IPOs during the last a number of years.

Underwriters for IPOs with market capitalizations under $600 million noticed their common fee triple over 4 years to 12% in 2020, the Hong Kong inventory change and native securities regulator stated in a joint assertion again in Might 2021.

Then in November 2022, the Monetary Trade Regulatory Authority within the U.S. warned traders about “vital uncommon value will increase on the day of or shortly after the IPOs of sure small-cap issuers, most of which contain issuers with operations in different international locations.” The discover talked about China particularly.

FINRA added it “has issues” about how overseas nationals have opened accounts at U.S. broker-dealers to spend money on IPOs after which positioned “manipulative orders and trades to inflate aftermarket costs.”

In a FINRA podcast dated Nov. 12, 2024, Peter Gonzalez of the particular investigations unit stated the “ramp and dump” schemes have advanced — now occurring weeks or months after the IPO, as an alternative of just a few days.

Correction: This story has been up to date to mirror that Nasdaq is planning to require Chinese language firms to boost at the least $25 million in preliminary public choices to checklist on the change.