上半年数字统计，有175家中国企业分别在国内外的交易所上市，一共筹得约320亿美元。

国内律师表示，中国企业对上市的积极态度将给资本市场业务带来更多机遇。

The first half of 2010 has seen 175 mainland companies raise approximately US$32bn from domestic and overseas listings. The total amount, which excludes Agricultural Bank of China’s mammoth US$19.2bn dual-listing, exceeds the US$28bn raised in the same period last year.

Local banks have taken the IPO limelight this year. Only two months after ABC’s flotation, Everbright Bank launched its US$2.9bn IPO on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. And while financial institutions are choosing IPOs as a way to balance their business sheets, some other industries are looking at overseas IPOs to kickstart  their cross-border ambitions.

The significant interest in IPOs has underlined the huge potential for law firms’ capital market practices. “Chinese companies continue to have a strong desire to list and internationalise and so many have moved on with their plans so they can do business outside of China,” said Esther Leung, partner at DLA Piper.

The two local stock exchanges have also reached new heights this year. The Shanghai Stock Exchange market capitalisation has risen tenfold in the past decade to US$2,196bn as of May 2010. According to data from Dealogic, the Shenzhen exchange, China's booming mid-cap market, raised US$18.6bn his year. “The value of IPOs on local boards are usually higher than those of international bourses, indicating that investors have a lot more confidence in local listings as they reap higher returns,” said Wayne Chen, capital markets partner at Llinks Law office.

“There hasn’t been a case where there isn’t enough investor interest in the local stock exchange this year and, as legal advisors, our mandates increase along with the confidence of local investors and businesses,” he said.

Related stories:

• DeHeng, King & Wood secure role on ABC's mega-IPO (11 June 2010)
• Latest blockbuster bank IPO: King & Wood advises Everbright (30 July 2010)