NYSE Euronext eyes China listing - report

HONG KONG Nov 9 (Reuters) - NYSE Euronext (NYX.N)(NYX.PA), parent of the New York Stock Exchange, has expressed strong interest in a China listing as the country prepares to allow for such listings, media reported on Monday.

"We hope that NYSE Euronext is in the first group of (overseas) companies to list, but we don't know if it will be the first," Ronald Keng, NYSE Euronext's executive vice president and head of international listings for Europe, the Middle East and Africa and Asia, told the Hong Kong Economic Times.

He added that NYSE Euronext is waiting for final word from China's securities regulator, which is working on setting up a board in Shanghai for overseas-based firms to list but has not yet issued specific guidelines.

NYSE Euronext Chief Executive Duncan Niederauer will visit Hong Kong and will talk with Chinese officials this week about various forms of cooperation in financial markets, the Economic Times reported, citing unnamed sources.

A number of foreign companies, including global banking giant HSBC (0005.HK)(HSBA.L), have expressed interest in listing on China's planned new board.

Some Hong Kong-listed Chinese firms that are prohibited from listing in China because they are technically based overseas have also expressed interest, including top mobile carrier China Mobile (0941.HK) and PC maker Lenovo (0992.HK).

(Reporting by Doug Young; Editing by Ken Wills)