From the BusinessWeek (link)
Why are global players still buying up shares of mainland banks? It’s a long-term wager on the country’s financial system – and overall growth potential
The global appetite for Chinese bank shares seems downright insatiable. On June 1, the Bank of China — the mainland’s second-biggest bank — will launch its $9 billion-plus initial public offering in Hong Kong. This follows a similarly sized global offering by China Construction Bank last fall. And China’s top bank, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), is readying what analysts think will be a monster $12 billion IPO later this year.
Also see “Investors are betting on Chinese IPOs” from the Financial Times (link)