Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEx) has kept in close touch with Euro-Asia Agricultural (Holdings) Limited since doubts arose in July about the quality of its management, and its compliance with the Listing Rules.
It wrote to the company's listing sponsor on Thursday (10 October) asking it, together with the company and its professional advisers, to address questions that have arisen concerning the accuracy of some of the information in its prospectus.
Since 12 July we have made enquiries with the company on numerous occasions and requested it to make announcements, concerning share price fluctuations; rumours of resignations by the CEO and directors; the whereabouts of its chairman; investigation of possibly criminal acts in China by the chairman and his detention; his appointment as chief executive of a North Korean SAR; and other price sensitive information, said an HKEx spokesman, .
Trading in the company's shares was suspended on 19 September and resumed from 26 to 27 September. Trading was again suspended on 30 September and remains suspended.
HKEx has been in frequent contact with the company seeking answers to these and other questions, some of which were satisfactorily answered and others were not. Where there is possible non-compliance with the ongoing obligations of the Company under the Listing Rules, HKEx would look into the matter and take appropriate actions.
HKEx was making every effort to obtain information which the company is obliged to give under its Listing Agreement, the spokesman said. We shall continue to press the company to clarify matters in the interests of shareholders and for the maintenance of a fair market, he said.
The chronology of events is attached.
Actions taken by the Stock Exchange in relation to Euro-Asia Agricultural (Holdings) Company Limited (the "Company") since early July 2002