Asean

Two Hong Kong-based loans bankers from Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s Asia Pacific debt solutions team have left, while Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ has lost its southeast Asia loans head.

Asia’s block market got a boost this week as investors sold down stakes in Longfor Properties Co and People's Insurance Company of China (PICC) in Hong Kong, while Lippo Group trimmed its holding in Indonesia’s Matahari Department Store.

The solar unit of Thai oil refiner Bangchak Petroleum is looking to raise up to Bt5.9bn ($170.7m) from its IPO, announcing the price range on Tuesday.

Vietnam’s Vingroup Joint Stock Company has allocated its $300m borrowing after selling the full greenshoe of $60m.

Indonesian firm Multipolar raised Rph1.6tr ($124.8m) on Monday evening after offloading a block of shares in Matahari Department Store.

The Singapore Exchange (SGX) has formed a securities industry working group that will look into ways to improve the market, two months after suffering its worst ever trading disruption.

The recent decision by the Singapore Exchange’s listings committee to give the green light to dual-class shares has received the usual jibes, with some contending that the move is coming far too late. But this is the big change that market participants have been calling for — even if they don’t know it yet.

Indonesia’s Aneka Gas Industri has wrapped up its Rph1.0tr ($77.0m) IPO after pricing towards the middle of price guidance, with strong demand seen from local and foreign long-only investors.

Standard Chartered has made a pair of top-level appointments in southeast Asia, naming the first local CEOs for its Thailand and Philippines offices.

Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ’s head of loan syndications for southeast Asia is set to leave by the end of the month, according to sources.

A S$350m ($259m) loan signed between Lippo Malls Indonesia Retail Trust (LMIR) and a group of lenders has opened into syndication.

In this round-up, a third batch of free trade zones (FTZs) get set to be rolled out soon, Hong Kong RMB deposits reach a three-year low, and the RMB qualified foreign institutional investor (RQFII) scheme adds two in Singapore. Plus, a recap of GlobalRMB's stories this week.