In ancient Arabia, Alibaba became rich when he discovered the 40 thieves’ secret treasure trove. In modern times humble labourers find wealth by tapping Chinese initial public offerings. As such, a stampede for shares in Alibaba.com – a near-magical blend of China and the internet – is pretty much assured.

Like the eponymous fable, Alibaba.com is a good yarn. The holding company, Alibaba Group, was founded on a shoe string and the coming IPO will make chairman Jack Ma one of China’s richest men. Subsidiary Alibaba.com, an online business-to-business marketplace for mainly small and medium-sized suppliers and buyers, now boasts 24.6m users.