Asean

Work to clarify thinking about impact in investment – meaning its effects on society or the environment – is going on apace. The International Finance Corp will launch next week at the World Bank/IMF annual meetings in Bali a set of Operating Principles for Impact Management, which are designed to complement the framework for analysing impact produced by the Impact Management Project.

State Street Associates has hired Qi Wang as head of research for Asia Pacific, effective immediately.

Malaysia’s Maybank has appointed Ami Moris as chief executive officer of Maybank Kim Eng, its regional investment banking arm.

Philippine food and beverage producer and distributor Universal Robina Corp is gauging appetite among banks for a NZ$420m ($278m) loan to refinance an old borrowing used to back the acquisition of New Zealand’s Griffin’s Foods.

Energy and commodities trader Mercuria is back in the loan market for its annual fundraising, seeking a $1.1bn multi-tranche borrowing.

Thailand Future Fund is due to announce a timeline for its long-delayed listing next week, as it gets ready to kick off bookbuilding in mid-October.

Asian equities showed mixed responses to the increase in the federal funds rate announced by the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) on Wednesday night, while bonds in the region held up reasonably well. But there are worries that the pace of rate hikes until the end of 2019 might be too aggressive.

Thai energy drinks manufacturer Osotspa has launched bookbuilding for its potential Bt15.1bn ($465.1m) IPO, set to be the country's largest listing so far this year.

Thailand Future Fund is due to announce a timeline for its long-delayed IPO next week, with bookbuilding set to kick off in mid-October.

DBS has teamed up with Singapore-based Impact Investment Exchange to set up a $100m Women’s Livelihood Bond Programme.

Keppel-KBS US Real Estate Investment Trust said on Monday it is considering raising new equity to help pay for an acquisition in Washington.

Mapletree Logistics Trust sealed its second overnight fundraising for the year and its largest follow-on offering in a decade on Wednesday, bagging S$375m ($274m) to acquire properties in Singapore.