China’s new small-cap stockmarket
China has announced plans to establish a new stock exchange in Beijing that will be aimed at small and medium-sized firms.
China has announced plans to establish a new stock exchange in Beijing that will be aimed at small and medium-sized firms. Mainland China already has two exchanges, says Laura He on CNN. The Shanghai Stock Exchange, founded in 1990, “hosts mostly large-cap companies, including state-owned enterprises, banks and energy firms”. Another exchange, in the southern city of Shenzhen, is more tilted towards tech companies. There is also an exchange in Hong Kong, but it is governed by a separate regulatory system.
Many Chinese firms, such as Alibaba, have previously opted to list in the US. But they now face pressure from both China, which would prefer domestic companies list at home, and US regulators, who are tightening disclosure rules to protect investors.
The new trading venue may be intended to signal that the recent crackdown on tech and education firms isn’t aimed at all entrepreneurs, says Jacky Wong in The Wall Street Journal. But a new market is unlikely to “move the needle much”. Smaller firms already have options to access domestic funding through Shenzhen’s ChiNext subsidiary and Shanghai’s Star Market, which was launched in 2019 to rival America’s Nasdaq. “What is really needed is a stronger commitment to corporate transparency” and rules that make it easier for firms to list in the markets that China already has.
MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE

Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Get the latest financial news, insights and expert analysis from our award-winning MoneyWeek team, to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.
Alex is an investment writer who has been contributing to MoneyWeek since 2015. He has been the magazine’s markets editor since 2019.
Alex has a passion for demystifying the often arcane world of finance for a general readership. While financial media tends to focus compulsively on the latest trend, the best opportunities can lie forgotten elsewhere.
He is especially interested in European equities – where his fluent French helps him to cover the continent’s largest bourse – and emerging markets, where his experience living in Beijing, and conversational Chinese, prove useful.
Hailing from Leeds, he studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Oxford. He also holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Manchester.
-
The worst London boroughs to sell a second home as investors face £16k capital gains tax bill
Property investors selling up in London are benefiting from a decade’s worth of house price rises, but for many it’s resulting in higher capital gains tax bills
-
UK to have highest inflation among advanced economies this year and next, says IMF
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says it expects inflation to remain high in the UK, while lowering economic growth forecasts for 2026.
-
Global investors have overlooked some of China’s best growth stocks
Opinion Dale Nicholls, portfolio manager, Fidelity China Special Situations, highlights three Chinese businesses where he’d put his money
-
How Next defied the odds and positioned itself as a British high-street staple
Next rose from a near-death experience and now thrives as a high-street staple. What's driving its success – and should you invest in the retailer?
-
Alok Sama on AI and how to invest in the future of technology
Interview Alok Sama, the former president and chief financial officer of Masayoshi Son’s investment vehicle SoftBank Group International, explains AI’s potential
-
The private equity puzzle
Listed private equity trusts still trade at large discounts, despite sales that validate their valuations
-
Why investors should avoid market monomania
Opinion Today’s overwhelming focus on US markets leaves investors guessing about opportunities and risks elsewhere
-
Can Rachel Reeves save the City?
Opinion Chancellor Rachel Reeves is mulling a tax cut, which would be welcome – but it’s nowhere near enough, says Matthew Lynn
-
Pierre-Édouard Stérin wants to make France great again
Conservative billionaire Pierre-Édouard Stérin is seeking to lead a political and spiritual renaissance across the Channel. The planning looks meticulous
-
Global investors have overlooked the top innovators in emerging markets
Opinion Carlos Hardenberg, portfolio manager, Mobius Investment Trust, highlights three emerging market stocks where he’d put his money