SouthGobi shares slip 2 pct ahead of HK debut

HONG KONG Jan 29 (Reuters) - Shares in Canadian coal miner SouthGobi Energy Resources Ltd (1878.HK) (SGQ.TO), dipped 2 percent ahead of their Hong Kong trading debut on Friday, after raising $439 million in an initial public offering in Hong Kong.

Shares of SouthGobi, also listed in Canada, were at HK$123.50 in pre-open trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange, compared with an IPO price of HK$126.04.

The company sold 27 million new shares, about 16.8 percent of its enlarged share capital, and secured Asia's top sovereign wealth funds, China Investment Corp [CIC.UL] and Temasek Holdings [TEM.UL] as cornerstone investors.

Citigroup (C.N) and Macquarie (MQG.AX) were handling the deal. (US$1=HK$7.75)