China's stock market value tops US$10t for first time

Hong Kong

THE value of Chinese stocks rose above US$10 trillion for the first time, the latest milestone for the nation's world-beating rally.

Companies with a primary listing in China are valued at US$10.05 trillion, an increase of US$6.7 trillion in 12 months, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The gain alone is more than the US$5 trillion size of Japan's entire stock market. The US is the biggest globally, at almost US$25 trillion.

No other stock market has grown as much in dollar terms over a 12-month period, as Chinese individuals piled into the nation's equities using borrowed funds to bet that gains will continue. Valuations are now the highest in five years and margin debt has climbed to a record, all while…