Asean

A subsidiary of Malaysian telecommunications company Axiata Group has expanded the bookrunner group of a $400m loan, which was overhauled and boosted from the original $100m in November.

The Singapore Exchange has received certification that its kilobar gold futures contract is now Shariah-compliant.

CT Corp company Trans Retail is in discussions with several banks for a financing of $550m-$750m. The Indonesian borrower is yet to firm up the size of the facility, as it is still chalking out its capital expenditure plans.

Indonesian conglomerate Astra International is in the process of putting together a group of lenders to supply its latest $200m loan.

VietJet Aviation sealed Vietnam’s largest IPO this week, pricing the D3.79tr ($167m) trade in the lower half of expectations and becoming a rare bright spot in an otherwise patchy market for stock sales.

Myanmar’s capital market is set for a fillip in 2017 from foreign investors who will gain greater access thanks to new laws coming into force. Expectations are high but the country will be wary of letting any momentum fade, as has happened to some of its neighbours. Jonathan Breen reports.

Natixis has named a new global markets head for Asia Pacific, while Standard Chartered has recruited an outsider to run financial markets.

Tata International Singapore has mandated one bank to supply a $110m loan, which will be used to make payments to bondholders.

The renminbi qualified foreign institutional investor (RQFII) scheme is set to end 2016 on a disappointing note with the combined value of quotas awarded amounting to roughly half of last year’s total.

Khazanah Nasional pared some of its stake in Telekom Malaysia via an overnight placement last week, the country’s largest telecommunication deal in four years.

A A$484.2m ($361.5m) five year facility to support Philippine company Universal Robina Corp’s acquisition of Snack Brands Australia has been allocated, with 17 new lenders coming in.

Standard Chartered has hired industry veteran Roberto Hoornweg as global head, financial markets, set to start in the New Year.