PRESS DIGEST - Hong Kong - July 20

HONG KONG, July 20 (Reuters) - These are some of the leading stories in Hong Kong newspapers on Monday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

-- Hong Kong is to launch consultations later this year on establishing a new insurance regulator in a bid to enhance regulation and protect policyholders, according to a government source.

-- Singapore-based cooking oil producer Wilmar International is aiming to raise US$3-4 billion in an initial public offering in Hong Kong in the first half of next year, sources said. Iron ore miner China Vanadium has also revived its IPO plan, aiming to raise US$200 million by the end of this year or early next year.

-- L Capital, a buyout fund sponsored by Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey (LVMH.PA), has teamed up with Standard Chartered Private Equity and three banks to bid for the Singaporean parent of Hong Kong-listed designer watch distributor Sincere Watch Hong Kong (0444.HK). Sources were not identified.

HONG KONG ECONOMIC JOURNAL

-- Three mainland insurers including PICC (2328.HK), Ping An Insurance (2318.HK), and China Pacific Insurance (601601.SS) have been lured to the red-hot IPO of building materials producer BBMG (2009.HK) subscribing for a total of HK$1.4 billion ($180.7 million) in shares, sources said.

HONG KONG ECONOMIC TIMES

-- Minsheng Bank (600016.SS) is set to submit a listing application to the Hong Kong bourse by the end of this month but its plan to introduce overseas strategic investors may face challenges due to a 5-year lockup requirement, sources said.

MING PAO

-- An estimated 300 million people in China will be able to see a total eclipse on Wednesday which is expected to last for 3-6 minutes, according to an observatory in Nanjing.

(Editing by Jonathan Hopfner)

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