Latest news with #LiKa-shing
New Straits Times
6 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Richard Li's China insurance deal falters over port sale concerns
KUALA LUMPUR: Billionaire Richard Li's efforts to expand his insurance business into mainland China have been put on hold after Beijing reacted with fury to his father Li Ka-shing's plan to sell a suite of global ports to BlackRock, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday. Richard, business tycoon Li Ka-shing's younger son, was in advanced talks to secure an insurance license in China, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter. The discussions were suspended shortly after the port sale was announced in early March amid growing uncertainty over Beijing's stance on the deal, the report said. A deal would have given FWD Group, Li's insurance firm, long-sought access to the lucrative Chinese market, possibly through an acquisition or partnership with a mainland insurance firm, it said. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. FWD Group declined to comment. Bloomberg had reported in March that China has instructed state-owned firms to pause new deals with businesses linked to Li Ka-shing and his family after his plan to sell two ports in Panama to a BlackRock-led consortium. FWD Group raised US$442 million through an initial public offering in Hong Kong earlier this week.
Business Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Times
Richard Li's China insurance expansion talks stall amid backlash to father's port sale plan
[HONG KONG] Billionaire Richard Li's efforts to expand his insurance business into mainland China have been put on hold after Beijing reacted with fury to his father Li Ka-shing's plan to sell a suite of global ports to US firm BlackRock, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday (Jul 10). Richard, business tycoon Li Ka-shing's younger son, was in advanced talks to secure an insurance licence in China, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter. The discussions were suspended shortly after the port sale was announced in early March amid growing uncertainty over Beijing's stance on the deal, the report said. A deal would have given FWD Group, Li's insurance firm, long-sought access to the lucrative Chinese market, possibly through an acquisition or partnership with a mainland insurance firm, it said. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. FWD Group did not immediately respond to a Reuters' request for comment. Bloomberg had reported in March that China has instructed state-owned firms to pause new deals with businesses linked to Li Ka-shing and his family after his plan to sell two ports in Panama to a BlackRock-led consortium. FWD Group raised US$442 million through an initial public offering in Hong Kong earlier this week. REUTERS
Business Times
07-07-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Richard Li's FWD rises in HK debut, reversing earlier declines
[HONG KONG] Billionaire Richard Li's FWD Group Holdings rose in its Hong Kong trading debut, reversing earlier declines, after an initial public offering (IPO) that raised HK$3.5 billion (S$570 million). The insurer's stock climbed 1.1 per cent to HK$38.40 on Monday (Jul 7), reversing a drop of as steep as 2.5 per cent. The debut comes after the tycoon – son of famed Hong Kong businessman Li Ka-shing – tried to take the company public in New York in 2021, which was abandoned after regulatory scrutiny. Subsequent efforts to list at home in Hong Kong were stalled as the city's IPO entered a prolonged slump. Now, with Hong Kong's equity markets rebounding, Li is seizing a more favourable window to raise capital for the crown jewel of his business empire. Investors' sentiment has been buoyed by a wave of multibillion-dollar deals, with IPOs and follow-on offerings raising US$37.4 billion so far in 2025 – the highest since the record-breaking year of 2021 and a sharp jump from US$5.1 billion during the same period last year. 'It's been a long journey,' FWD chief executive officer Huynh Thanh Phong said in a Bloomberg TV interview. 'Hong Kong, as you can see, is back in a big way, and we're extremely happy to be part of that comeback story post-Covid.' BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up The city's stock benchmark, the Hang Seng Index, has risen about 20 per cent for the year. Insurers have been particularly hot lately, with shares of AIA Group and Prudential each rising since their April lows. Criss Wang, an analyst who writes on the Smartkarma platform, said that although FWD's stock may appear cheap based on book ratios, concerns about the company's potential impairment risks justify FWD shares trading at lower valuations than local peers. Richard Li, who founded the company in 2013, owns a 66.5 per cent stake in FWD through various corporate entities. His stake in FWD accounts for two-thirds of his US$6.1 billion net worth at the IPO price, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The insurer plans to use the proceeds to reduce debt, support growth and enhance its digital capabilities. BLOOMBERG
Business Times
07-07-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Richard Li's FWD rises in HK debut, reversing earlier decline
[HONG KONG] Billionaire Richard Li's FWD Group Holdings rose in its Hong Kong trading debut, reversing earlier declines, after an initial public offering that raised HK$3.5 billion (S$569.5 million). The insurer's stock climbed as much 2.1 per cent to HK$38.80 on Monday, reversing a drop of as steep as 2.5 per cent. It was at HK$38.40, up 1.1 per cent, at the midday break. The debut comes after the tycoon – son of famed Hong Kong businessman Li Ka-shing – tried to take the company public in New York in 2021, which was abandoned after regulatory scrutiny. Subsequent efforts to list at home in Hong Kong were stalled as the city's IPO entered a prolonged slump. Now, with Hong Kong's equity markets rebounding, Li is seizing a more favourable window to raise capital for the crown jewel of his business empire. Investors' sentiment has been buoyed by a wave of multibillion-dollar deals, with IPOs and follow-on offerings raising US$37.4 billion so far in 2025 – the highest since the record-breaking year of 2021 and a sharp jump from US$5.1 billion during the same period last year. 'It's been a long journey,' FWD chief executive officer Huynh Thanh Phong said in a Bloomberg TV interview. 'Hong Kong, as you can see, is back in a big way, and we're extremely happy to be part of that comeback story post-Covid.' The city's stock benchmark, the Hang Seng Index, has risen about 20 per cent for the year. Insurers have been particularly hot lately, with shares of AIA Group and Prudential each rising at least 35 per cent since their April lows. Richard Li, who founded the company in 2013, owns a 66.5 per cent stake in FWD through various corporate entities. His stake in FWD accounts for two-thirds of his US$6.1 billion net worth at the IPO price, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The insurer plans to use the proceeds to reduce debt, support growth and enhance its digital capabilities. BLOOMBERG
Business Times
07-07-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Richard Li's FWD Group falls in Hong Kong debut after HK$3.5 billion IPO
[HONG KONG] Billionaire Richard Li's FWD Group Holdings declined in its trading debut in Hong Kong after raising HK$3.5 billion (S$569 million) in an initial public offering (IPO), a bid to capitalise on the city's listing resurgence years after its initial try. The insurer's stock fell as much as 2.5 per cent on Monday (Jul 7) after selling 91.3 million shares at HK$38 apiece. The shares slipped in grey-market trading on Jul 4. The IPO values the company at more than US$6 billion, according to deal terms seen by Bloomberg. Mubadala Capital and Japan's T&D Holdings were its cornerstone investors, according to a filing. The debut comes after the tycoon, son of famed Hong Kong businessman Li Ka-shing, tried to take the company public in New York in 2021, which was abandoned after regulatory scrutiny. Subsequent efforts to list at home in Hong Kong were stalled as the city's IPO entered a prolonged slump. Now, with Hong Kong's equity markets rebounding, Li is seizing a more favourable window to raise capital for the crown jewel of his business empire. Investors' sentiment has been buoyed by a wave of multibillion-dollar deals, with IPOs and follow-on offerings raising US$37.4 billion so far in 2025 – the highest since the record-breaking year of 2021 and a sharp jump from US$5.1 billion during the same period last year. The city's stock benchmark, the Hang Seng Index, has risen about 20 per cent for the year. Insurers have been particularly hot lately, with shares of AIA Group and Prudential each rising at least 35 per cent since their April lows. Richard Li, who founded the company in 2013, owns a 66.5 per cent stake in FWD through various corporate entities. His stake in FWD accounts for two-thirds of his US$6.1 billion net worth at the IPO price, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The insurer plans to use the proceeds to reduce debt, support growth and enhance its digital capabilities. BLOOMBERG
