BRIC IPOs see record January at $6.7 Billion

Bangalore: New stock listings in the BRIC group of the four largest emerging economies have got off to a great start this year, with January flotation volumes of $6.7 billion, the highest on record for the month. According to Reuters, the initial public share offerings (IPOs) from Brazil, Russia, India and China accounted for 76 percent of global IPO activity so far in 2010, compared with just 5.6 percent last January. 

According to Thomson Reuters' data, BRIC IPO volumes for the beginning of 2010 are at their largest level, in terms of both value and number of issues, for any January on record. There have been a total of 26 IPOs so far this month compared with just one listing last January. The previous January record was in 2007 when 23 issues raised $3.9 billion while there were 22 listings and $3.5 billion in January 2008.

Chinese issuance comprised 67 percent of the total in January but the biggest offering was from Russian steelmaker Rusal, which raised $2.2 billion. Nine of the top 10 IPOs this month came from China. The materials sector accounted for 35 percent of activity followed by energy and power. Last year BRIC IPOs raised a total $63 billion, accounting for over 90 percent of emerging market offerings. The world's largest IPO of 2009 was that of the Brazilian subsidiary of Banco Santander, according to data from Thomson Reuters.