IN BRIEF (Page 13)

BOC plans new share offering

Bank of China (BOC) said it plans to issue more shares in Hong Kong soon, an offering that could strengthen its balance sheet by some $7.7 billion.

The bank said the follow-on offer of Hong Kong-listed H-shares will be 20 percent of its H-share capital. "We want to do it as soon as possible but we will also have to find a good timing to make it happen," said Xiao Gang, chairman of the bank.