The much-anticipated trading link between exchanges in Shanghai and Hong Kong is technically ready for launch but no date has been set yet for trading to begin, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing said on Oct. 26. The two exchanges said earlier this year that they were targeting October for the launch, but on Oct. 26 HKEX said it has not yet received the “relevant approvals.” The trading link will greatly expand international access to China’s stock market and is widely viewed as a major step forward in the liberalization of China’s financial markets. Although the link is limited to equities, HKEX officials have said that they expect it to pave the way for cross-border trading in other products such as futures.
