China leads the global market for initial public offerings this year while the international board expected to be set up in 2011 may also significantly boost IPO fundraising, according to Ernst & Young executives in Shanghai yesterday.

The auditing firm sees global IPOs to reach a record US$300 billion this year, recovering from the world financial crisis. IPO activities in China, including the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan, topped US$117.9 billion in the first 11 months this year, up 46 percent from a year ago, E&Y said.

Shanghai is the fourth-biggest market in the world in terms of IPOs this year, after its counterparts in Hong Kong, Shenzhen and New York.

In Shanghai, firms in the resources, industrial and financial sectors are likely to launch IPOs in 2011, according to the firm.

E&Y also sees "no significant obstacle to the launch of the international board in Shanghai in terms of technical, legal and accounting issues."

"It's just about waiting for the right time," it said.

Yuan Yongmin, an E&Y partner, said it's very likely the international board would be launched next year and Fortune 500 companies with large-scale operations in China are set to be the first batch of companies to be listed. Big-name companies such as HSBC have said they are ready for the launch.

The board could help boost IPO activities in Shanghai sharply in 2011, Yuan said. A-share investors will also be able to share in the growth of quality foreign firms.

The Shanghai Stock Exchange said earlier this month that it is ready for the launch of the international board.