In a recent development that underscores the ongoing turmoil within China's real estate sector, Country Garden, a major player in the industry, has announced the suspension of its share trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. This move follows the company's decision to postpone the release of its annual financial statements, citing the need for additional time to consolidate information pertinent to its debt restructuring efforts.
Austrian real estate tycoon Rene Benko was stripped of his power and had to give up the shares in his severely ailing SIGNA, one the largest European real-estate groups. The equation of rising interest rates plus more restrictive lending with a high level of debt could no longer be solved. Like China's Evergrande, SIGNA relied on cheap credit and constantly rising real-estate prices. But these times have gone for good!
Shares in crisis-hit Chinese real estate giant Evergrande soared by more than 40% in early trading on Tuesday as trading in the firm resumed after being suspended in Hong Kong. The company halted trading in its shares on Thursday as it confirmed that its founder, Hui Ka Yan, was being investigated by authorities. The Evergrande shares settled at around 20% higher. Evergrande defaulted on its debts in 2021, triggering a property crisis in China.
Hui Ka Yan, the founder of China's real estate behemoth Evergrande, once held the title of Asia's wealthiest individual. Known alternatively as Xu Jiayin, Hui's journey from modest beginnings to leading a sprawling business conglomerate is remarkable. In 2017, Forbes magazine estimated his net worth at a staggering $42.5 billion. As of early October 2023, however, Forbes estimates the fortune at only $3.2 billion.
China's troubled real estate giant Evergrande Group reportedly sold the luxury superyacht of its founder Hui Ka Yan, the Event, for approximately $32 million, according to Reuters. This move is seen as an effort to liquidate the company's offshore assets amidst its escalating financial crisis and ongoing efforts to devise a debt restructuring strategy. The offshore bondholders are intensifying their scrutiny of Evergrande's offshore holdings.