SHANGHAI/HONG KONG - Chinese regulators are scrutinising old business deals and even the personal bank accounts of senior executives as they ramp up inspections of IPO hopefuls to slow the pace of fresh capital raisings and boost secondary markets, according to 10 sources.
The heightened scrutiny of IPO candidates has spread disquiet in what was until last year a booming business, forcing many companies to drop their listing plans and investment banks to cut jobs and pay. Analysts believe the sharp slowdown in IPOs sucking out liquidity is aiding a rebound in Chinese stocks, but the draconian vetting process has fanned concerns about challenges for corporate fundraising in a slowing economy and the country back-pedalling on market-oriented reforms.
As part of the heightened scrutiny, officials from the securities regulator or the stock exchanges show up at an IPO applicant's office demanding a thorough health check, said four of the sources. And if the inspectors find out a founder's wife bought a Louis Vuitton handbag for 100,000 yuan , they could ask him to justify the purchase, the banker said, to rule out any fake transaction involving company finances.