Chinese stock markets are witnessing a surge in new public offerings, driven by strong investor interest in artificial intelligence, robotics and other advanced technologies, while more companies are choosing to list in Hong Kong and Shanghai, according to the Associated Press (AP). The latest major listing is expected to come from China-founded e-commerce and fast-fashion company Shein, whose shares are scheduled to debut in Hong Kong on Tuesday.
7 billion, making it one of Hong Kong’s largest listings this year. Read more: Global Market: South Korean shares fall as hawkish Fed comments weigh on sentimentThe IPO activity follows several blockbuster technology listings on mainland Chinese exchanges.
6 billion in Shanghai, making it the second-largest IPO in China’s Nasdaq-style STAR Market and the second-largest IPO on the mainland this year. Its shares surged about 466% on the first day of trading.
The momentum continued in August when humanoid robot maker Unitree debuted in Shanghai. The company’s shares jumped around 460% on their first trading day, highlighting the intense enthusiasm surrounding China’s artificial intelligence and robotics sectors.
According to AP, analysts see investor appetite for AI and robotics as a major force behind the current IPO boom. Shanghai’s stock market is also heavily influenced by retail investors, whose enthusiasm for technology themes has helped drive sharp gains in newly listed companies.
China’s Push for Technology Self-SufficiencyCXMT’s blockbuster listing also underlined China’s ambitions to strengthen its domestic technology and semiconductor manufacturing capabilities. The company, founded in China in 2016, has benefited from a sharp increase in demand for memory chips used in AI-related applications.
The strong performance of technology companies has helped make AI-related businesses a key attraction for investors, particularly as China seeks greater self-sufficiency in strategically important industries. Hong Kong and Shanghai Gain GroundThe strength of China’s IPO market is also reflected in fundraising figures.
Data from LSEG, cited by AP, shows that IPOs and secondary listings in Hong Kong and Shanghai have raised more than $54 billion so far in 2026. That has already surpassed the more than $46 billion raised across the two markets during all of last year.
Together, Hong Kong and Shanghai have accounted for roughly 21% of global IPO proceeds this year, ranking behind the Nasdaq, which has captured around 55% of global proceeds. The US market has been boosted by the massive $75 billion SpaceX IPO in June, which made the Nasdaq the world's biggest IPO market this year.
