Klarna valued at nearly US$20bil as shares jump in NYSE debut

Cause for celebration: Siemiatkowski (centre, right) during the company’s IPO on the floor of the NYSE in New York. Klarna shareholders raised US$1.37 billion in an IPO priced above a marketed range. — Bloomberg

NEW YORK: Klarna shares jumped 30% in their hotly anticipated New York debut, valuing the Swedish financial technology (fintech) company at US$19.65bil, ending the company’s years-long wait for a listing and underscoring a rebound in the broader US initial public offering (IPO) market.

The company’s shares opened at US$52, compared with their IPO price of US$40 apiece.