AI and Robotics Drive an IPO Boom in China as Shein Lists in Hong Kong
HONG KONG (AP) — Chinese markets are booming with new public stock offerings, energized by the craze for artificial intelligence and other advanced technology and a growing preference to list shares in Hong Kong and Shanghai.
Chinese markets are experiencing a surge in new public stock offerings, driven by the growing interest in artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies. E-commerce giant Shein is set to debut its shares in Hong Kong on Tuesday, raising $1.7 billion in what is expected to be one of the largest new share sales in the city this year.
This public offering comes after China's largest memory chipmaker, CXMT, raised over $8.6 billion in Shanghai in July, becoming the second-largest IPO on its Nasdaq-style STAR market. Unitree, a leading maker of humanoid robots, also debuted its shares in Shanghai in August, with shares increasing by 460% on the first day of trading.
According to Ruiying Zhao, a senior research analyst at S&P Global Market Intelligence, the current IPO boom is fueled by investor appetite for AI and robotics. Retail investors play a significant role in Shanghai's stock market, where CXMT's IPO positioned China as a key player in tech manufacturing related to AI. The IPO proceeds in Hong Kong and Shanghai have exceeded the funding raised last year, totaling over $54 billion so far in 2026, according to financial data platform LSEG.
This surpasses last year's total of more than $46 billion and accounts for roughly 21% of global IPO activity, ranking behind only the Nasdaq's share of approximately 55% of global IPOs.
Many Chinese companies opt for parallel listings in Hong Kong to raise international capital due to strict regulations in the U.S. and China. Recent public stock listings of Apple-supplier Luxshare Precision Industry and Zhongji Innolight, which makes optical transceivers for data centers, reflect investor demand for advanced technologies.
Some companies, like robotics firms AGIBOT and Deep Robotics, also plan to hold their IPOs in Hong Kong or Shanghai. However, the AI investment cycle may not be sustainable in the long run as investors scrutinize the need for sustainable revenue, visible profit margins, and realistic valuations.
Written by urgent.news from The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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