Asia share sales on growth path, Hong Kong to reclaim top spot in IPO rankings

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Share sales in Asia ex-Japan have picked up pace this year and are set to rise sharply in the coming months, with $10 billion listings from two Chinese firms expected to reinstate Hong Kong as the world's top IPO destination, bankers and analysts said Deals in India and South Korea will also drive a pick up in the region's equity capital markets (ECM) activity that - according to preliminary Thomson Reuters data - rose 7 percent across Asia-Pacific exchanges in the first half of 2017, versus an almost 50 percent drop in the corresponding year-ago period. Commodity Trading Tips

While IPOs in Shanghai and Shenzhen, both currently ahead of Hong Kong in IPO rankings, are expected to slow down after more than doubling so far this year, volumes will still be strong enough to boost activity, the bankers and analysts said China has curbed the pace of IPO approvals to prevent an oversupply of shares, but it remains the busiest market in the world for new listings. A queue of almost 600 companies waiting to go public indicates there is no shortage of deals. "They've decided to reduce the pipeline of IPOs, but the reality is that the market still needs a lot of money," said Ringo Choi, Asia-Pacific IPO leader at consulting firm EY. Astrology and Numerology Trading Tips