Financial technology firm Lufax has raised $2.4 billion ahead of its Wall Street debut Friday, a report said, marking one of the best US initial public offerings by a Chinese company this year, despite flaring tensions between Beijing and Washington.

The listing comes less than a week before Chinese fintech titan Ant Group is expected to begin trading in Hong Kong and Shanghai following a world record IPO, though it also takes place at a time of heightened volatility on world markets caused by a virus resurgence and US election uncertainty.

A number of high-profile Chinese firms — especially those in the tech sector — have turned to Hong Kong and China to raise cash as the world's two superpowers battle over a range of issues that have soured relations and raised concerns that companies traded in New York could be delisted.

However, Lufax's Wall Street debut marks the latest by a Chinese firm this year, making the $10.9 billion in 2020 the highest in six years.

The company sold 175 million American Depository Receipts at $13.50 apiece, Bloomberg News said, citing unnamed sources. Two ADRs represents one ordinary share.

Backed by China's largest insurer by value Ping An Insurance Group, Lufax was launched in Shanghai in 2011 as one of a host of fintech start-ups focused on online lending service.

After a state tightening on the peer-to-peer lending sector it now focuses mainly on wealth management and financial services.

Lufax was ranked fourth in the world in terms of valuation for a young unlisted company at $38 billion, according to Hurun group in August.

In a filing to the US Stock Exchange in early October, Lufax cited "uncertainties regarding the interpretation and enforcement of (Chinese) laws, rules and regulations".

Ant Group's listing through a split float between Hong Kong and Shanghai would exceed the $29 billion chalked up by Saudi Aramco last year.

Asian markets drop again as election jitters set in
Hong Kong (AFP) Oct 30, 2020 –

Asian markets tumbled Friday with investors spooked by soaring virus cases in Europe and the United States that have forced fresh lockdowns, while uncertainty ahead of next week's US election was also dampening sentiment.

Regional traders brushed off a healthy rebound on Wall Street and forecast-beating economic growth data out of Washington, with analysts warning that a new infection surge and failure to pass a new stimulus would likely knock the recovery off track.

Equities have had a torrid week as governments are forced to act to contain a second wave of disease in the northern hemisphere, with France essentially shutting down for November, Germany putting tough measures in place and several other countries in danger of having to follow suit.

European Central Bank boss Christine Lagarde noted the eurozone was facing a tough few months, saying Thursday that the economy was "losing momentum more rapidly than expected" after a partial rebound in the summer, adding that risks were "clearly tilted to the downside".

However, on a positive note she hinted that the bank could unveil fresh measures to keep credit flowing.

Eyes are now on Tuesday's presidential election, with expectations Joe Biden will win the White House, while Democrats could sweep both houses of Congress, which observers say could see the passage of a huge new stimulus.

But despite Biden being well ahead of Donald Trump in national and battleground polls, traders remain nervous that the president could contest any tight result, having spent much of the campaign warning of mail-in voter fraud.

"There is going to be more volatility ahead of the election," Quincy Krosby, of Prudential Financial, told Bloomberg TV.

"Over the weekend folks are going to be focused on (key battleground state) Pennsylvania to see whether or not Biden is gaining there. The concern is if he gains a little bit, that may be one where you could actually look to a contested election," she added.

– US economy's false dawn? –

Trump on Thursday claimed a triumph with data showing the world's top economy expanded a record 33.1 percent in the third quarter, warning in a tweet that Biden would ruin the recovery.

However, analysts pointed out that the figure came after a 31.4 percent drop in the previous three months and was driven by consumer spending supported by a massive $3 trillion in government aid, much of which has since expired.

"Even with the sharp rebound seen in the third quarter, the level of GDP remains 3.5 percent below pre-pandemic levels with a large degree of spare capacity remaining," said National Australia Bank's Tapas Strickland.

"Higher-frequency data also suggests that growth has slowed over recent months, not helped by the resurgence of Covid-19."

Separate figures showed new applications for jobless benefits fell last week but remained at a mind-boggling 751,000.

Asian markets extended the week's losses, with tech firms weighed by warnings from US giants including Apple, Amazon and Facebook that the outlook was murky owing to the impact of the coronavirus.

Hong Kong shed two percent and Seoul dived 2.6 percent, while Tokyo and Shanghai were more than one percent down. There were also big losses in Sydney, Mumbai, Taipei, Singapore, Bangkok and Wellington.

London, Paris and Frankfurt all fell at the open.

However, OANDA's Edward Moya offered a note of hope, saying that while the virus is resurgent, "the world is better prepared to (deal with) Covid-19 over the winter months and hopes are still high that treatments and vaccines will get approvals before year end".

Oil prices climbed in early trade following another hefty loss Thursday that sent the commodity to four-month lows, though observers warned that the imposition of new lockdowns and containment measures would keep gains limited and likely spark further selling.