Hong Kong Law

Amendments to the Hedge Fund Guidelines in Chapter 8.7 of the Code on Unit Trusts and Mutual Funds came into effect on 30 September 2005. This note summarises the principal revisions to the Guidelines.

The Securities and Futures Commission has published a consultation paper setting out its proposals for the final phase of its modernisation of the regime governing the public offering of shares and debentures

The Securities and Futures Commission has published its Consultation Conclusions on the amendments to Schedule 5 to the Securities and Futures Ordinance proposed in its February Consultation Paper.

The SFC has published its Consultation Conclusions on the changes to the Hong Kong Codes on Takeovers, Mergers and Share Repurchases and announced that the amendments will come into effect on 1 October 2005.

The Securities and Futures Commission has published the Consultation Conclusions on the Review of the Disclosure of Interests Regime under Part XV of the Securities and Futures Ordinance

Building on the existing regime for the licensing of corporate finance advisers, the SFC has published proposals for additional specific entry criteria and ongoing compliance obligations for sponsors.

SFC has published a consultation paper on its Proposed Revised Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Guidance Note & new shareholder remedies under Companies Ordinance effective on 15 July 2005

Amendments to the SFC’s Code on Unit Trusts and Mutual Funds allowing collective investment schemes authorised under the Code to invest in listed real estate investment trusts came into effect on 22 April 2005

The SFC’s Guidelines to Address Analyst Conflicts of Interest impose strict requirements on investment banks and broker /dealers in relation to reducing and disclosing analysts’ conflicts of interest.

Proposed amendments to the SFO will codify the more important of the Exchange’s Listing Rules into statutory listing requirements under the Securities and Futures (Stock Market Listing) Rules.

It is proposed to extend the proposal to synchronise the reference dates for buyers and sellers completing a transaction within 4 days (see paragraph 9 above) to physically settled options. On the exercise of an…

The Hong Kong Financial Services and Treasury Bureau have issued a second consultation paper on the proposed exemption of offshore funds from Hong Kong profits tax.