HONG KONG Risk-averse sentiment has sent initial public offering markets around the world to their worst states since the global financial crisis. In the six months through June, first-time share sales totaled $49.75 billion, down 57.4% from a year earlier, while the number of deals dropped 34.4% to 514, data from Dealogic shows.
Amid the sharp slowdown, Hong Kong -- the world's top fundraising destination since last year -- fared relatively well. It took 15% of the global share, with 24 new listings on its main board -- a cut above the Nasdaq, which ranked second globally, and Shanghai, which was No. 2 in the Asia-Pacific region.
