CRI听力:AgBank's Listing Will Benefit Capital Market Development

The massive initial public offering of the Agricultural Bank of China has been in spotlight for quite some time. Professor Ding Zhijie from the University of International Business and Economics says the IPO injects new energy to China's capital market and will have positive influence to the capital market development. Our reporter Zhang Ru has more.




The Agricultural Bank of China is the last one in the four largest state-owned banks in China to seek IPO.

Professor Ding Zhijie says compared to its counterparts, Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and China Construction Bank, Agricultural Bank has its own features. It will diversify the structures of listed companies of China.

"The services of Agricultural Bank are mainly carried out in counties and townships. It is a leading bank in these places, and it has business in rural areas. The liabilities and assets of the bank in townships account for one third of its entire liabilities and assets. This is quite positive in terms of enriching the structures of China's listed companies."

Also different from the IPOs of other banks, the Agricultural bank does not have have any overseas sstrategic investors.

However, ten overseas institutions, including the Qatar Investment Authority and Standard Chartered, have made investments as cornerstone investors. Professor Ding says overseas institutional investors favors the Agricultural Bank for several reasons.

"One is the good prospect of China's economy. The economic development of China tops the world ecnomy, no one could afford lose the China market. The second is the good prospect of financial market. The third lies in the advantage of the Agricultural Bank itself."

Professor Ding says the listing of Agricultural bank is an important part in China's financial restructuring, but the bank have to face challenges like finding new areas to generate profits.

For CRI, I'm Zhang Ru.