Related: CSRC proposes new share offering rules

              Regulator lifts ban on share offerings

    BEIJING, May 23 -- The mainland's two stock exchanges in Shenzhen and Shanghai issued rules over the weekend, including application procedures, for online subscriptions to share offerings.

    The Shanghai Stock Exchange's rules were published Saturday in the China Securities Journal, while the Shenzhen Stock Exchange's rules were posted on its Web site over the weekend. Both sets of rules take effect immediately.

    The China Securities Regulatory Commission issued new rules governing initial public offerings (IPOs) two weeks ago, as well as the standard format for IPO applications and prospectuses.

    Friday, the Shenzhen and Shanghai stock exchanges issued revised rules for stock listings, which took effect immediately.

    The recent issuance of rules for stock listings has raised expectations that the government will soon resume IPOs, which haven't taken place on the domestic stock markets since last year. That's when regulators started a program to convert the nontradable stock in domestic listed firms into tradable shares.

    Friday, the Shanghai Securities News cited Chen Hongqiao, vice president of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, as saying he doesn't rule out IPOs resuming soon from the sub-board for small-and-medium-sized enterprises in Shenzhen.

    "Since the IPO rules have been released, we should start shortly," he said.

    The 21st Century Business Herald cited an unnamed source Wednesday as saying the government would allow the resumption of IPOs this week.  

    (Source: Shenzhen Daily/ Agencies)