Asean

The launch of Bond Connect and MSCI’s A-share inclusion are prompting global investors to rebalance their portfolios towards renminbi bonds and equities. But although investors enjoy a handful of hedging tools in fixed income, they are hoping for more equity derivatives before adding A-share exposure.

Lotte Chemical Titan sealed the largest Malaysian IPO in nearly five years this week, raising MR3.8bn ($884.0m). But the deal was anything but pretty. After a bungled first attempt at building a book, the issuer was forced to return with a smaller offering and lower price range. Jonathan Breen and John Loh report.

Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC), China National Chemical Corporation and Thailand’s PTT Exploration and Production are out in the market, gauging appetite for their respective bonds.

Malaysia-based Lotte Chemical Titan Holding has sealed its MR3.8bn ($884.0m) IPO at the bottom of guidance after reopening the deal on Monday at a lower price range and smaller size.

Malaysian petrochemical firm Lotte Chemical Titan Holding has relaunched its up to MR5.9bn ($1.4bn) IPO and is taking orders for a day, slashing the price range and offering size to secure additional long-only investors.

In this week’s round-up, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) considers launching A-share related derivatives in Hong Kong after MSCI’s inclusion, Citi launches two onshore bond indices, and the Chinese premier says M&A by foreign companies is welcome in the Mainland.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore aims to entice borrowers to sell rated notes in the country’s bond market by offering a credit rating grant.

Standard Chartered has appointed Lyndon Hsu as global head of leveraged and structured solutions, based in Singapore.

Indonesia has announced plans to meet investors in continental Europe next week ahead of a potential dual tranche euro and dollar bond placement.

The launch of a S$2.7bn ($1.95bn) IPO by NetLink Trust this week marks an important turning point in the fortunes of Singapore’s quiet equity capital market, with bankers hoping that more issuers may be tempted to take the plunge in the second half of 2017, write Aidan Gregory and Jonathan Breen.

Lotte Chemical Titan Holding, the Malaysian arm of South Korean conglomerate Lotte Group, has finished bookbuilding for the largest Malaysian IPO since Astro Malaysia Holdings' listing in October 2012.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has given yet another boost to the Masala bond market, raising Rp14bn ($217m) from its third offshore-rupee linked note of the year.