Nomura considers rebuilding Hong Kong equity capital markets unit- Reuters

Nomura Holdings is exploring the possibility of hiring bankers for its Hong Kong equity capital markets business, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing two people familiar with the matter. The move would mark a shift in strategy for Japan’s largest investment bank, which had greatly scaled back its Hong Kong operations over the past three years.

The bank is in early internal discussions about bringing on bankers in Hong Kong for the business that assists companies in selling shares, the Reuters report said. The potential expansion aims to capitalize on a growing equity fundraising market in the Asian financial hub.

Nomura had reduced staff and partially withdrew from the Hong Kong business in 2023 amid different market conditions, when equity capital markets deals in the city and China had declined.

Hong Kong experienced an IPO boom this year, driven chiefly by a host of high-profile artificial intelligence listings. The boom spurred flows into broader equity markets, helping partially reverse years of underperformance.