China

China plans to amend its securities law within this year, with an aim to strengthening investor protection and enforcement against violators.

Margin requirements, intraday volume restrictions and transaction fees have all been reduced, according to a statement from the CFFEX.

The move is aimed at helping private companies to raise funds on the market. CDS products, though new to China, will provide assurances against default.

Some of the gaps identified relate to an insufficient focus on non-financial businesses and professions, difficulties identifying beneficial ownership, and an inadequate sanctions framework.

IPO sponsors will be required to hold stakes of 2-5% in the companies they help list on Shanghai's new science and technology board.

Only 100 P2P lending platforms are expected to qualify for new licences under the new registration system set to be introduced later this year.

Investors will be exempt from tax on profits from trading CDRs for three years, in addition to preferential tax treatment on dividend income.

Beijing vice mayor Yin Yong says securities firms, fund managers and futures trading firms should be able to to invest outside China through the QDII and RQDII schemes.

The employee allegedly used a group supervisor's password to access the funds, which were used to buy apartment units in the US, Greece and Japan.

With the government bond market now open to retail investors, China is relaxing a restriction that only allowed bond-buying during the first 10 days of the month.