Asia’s investment banking activity is expected to bounce back as China stock listings shift from the US to Hong Kong, said Credit Suisse.
The Swiss banking giant’s Asia Pacific chief executive Helman Sitohang said deal progress in Hong Kong and the region is “building up very nicely” in a Bloomberg Television interview.
This comes despite the slowdown in dealmaking over the last couple of weeks following China’s crackdown in various sectors, ranging from technology to property, as it aims to tackle monopolies that have built up in the country.
“I have been a banker in the region for 30 years now. One thing I know for sure is the region is very resilient,” said Sitohang. “We clearly see the pipeline building up for listings in Hong Kong so we will see activity picking up again.”
Chinese listings in the US have slowed to a standstill after the Asian powerhouse pledged to write new rules for firms floating outside the mainland, while US regulators have suspended new IPOs from Chinese firms until they provide greater disclosures over the potential risks they face.
Credit Suisse's Asia Pacific unit saw sales fall 10 percent to CHF 828 million ($905 million) in 2020 compared to a year ago, “due to a to higher provision for credit losses, partially offset by higher net revenues,” according to last year’s fourth-quarter earnings release.
