ABN AMRO is preparing to enter the nascent Korean warrants market with plans to establish an onshore desk. Since the market kicked off late last year, there has been a flurry of activity with international players such as Credit Suisse, Merrill Lynch and SG Corporate & Investment Banking entering the fray.
"We're now setting up the infrastructure," said S.K. Hong, director at ABN in Hong Kong, noting the firm is looking to become a liquidity provider for warrants and will place traders in Seoul by the third quarter. The Dutch house currently structures equity derivative products, such as exotic options, for the market via its Hong Kong hub. ABN has been pushing into the warrants business in the region since last year, and issuing products across asset classes (DW, 5/13/05).
