Asia Pacific

The friendly meeting between US president Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping last week has ushered in warmer relations, with Trump stating on April 12 that the US Treasury will not label China a currency manipulator. Meanwhile, the two sides are working on a framework for greater market access to be delivered in just over three months.

HSBC has lost its head of Singapore dollar bond origination, according to sources.

Risk appetite propelled CEEMEA into a bullish second quarter with nearly $16bn of bonds printed in Easter week. Saudi Arabia led the charge with a $9bn sukuk, but demand for duration played into the hands of KazMunayGas which raised $1.25bn of 30 year debt.

Japanese lender Daiwa was the only borrower to hit the US market this week ahead of an expected uptick in issuance as big US banks emerge from earnings blackout.

China Huishan Dairy Holdings’ credentials have gone from bad to worse after it said on Monday that an event of default has been declared on its $200m loan, once again turning the spotlight on lending to non state-backed firms. While some bankers shrugged off the matter as a one off, others fear that getting lending approvals is set to become even more difficult. Shruti Chaturvedi reports.

Bank of China hit Asia's debt market hard on Tuesday, unleashing a huge deal spanning four currencies and six tranches. The $3.1bn-equivalent deal was designed to make a statement to the market that it should not forget China’s Belt and Road initiative, DCM bankers said. Morgan Davis and Addison Gong report.

Lianyungang Port Group and property developer Golden Wheel Tiandi Holdings Company raised a combined $500m on Tuesday, wrapping up their fundraisings ahead of Easter.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will let banks buy shares in real estate and infrastructure investment trusts (Reits and InvITs), removing one of the last hurdles for an asset class that has struggled to get off the ground for years. But some market participants still have doubts, warning that the debut deal will not come swiftly. John Loh reports.

South Korean ECM got a treat this week, with Netmarble Games opening books on Tuesday for what is set to be the country’s largest IPO of the year, with the deal fully covered by the first day. The listing marks a strong start for South Korea, which will move to the top of the region’s 2017 league tables when the trade wraps up, writes Jonathan Breen.

Oil India raised $500m from the sale of its new 10 year notes on Tuesday, winning over investors with its investment grade rating, state support and rarity value.

Chinese corporates and FIGs contributed to most of the primary supply in Asia DCM on Tuesday, with China Oil and Gas Group, Yida China Holdings and Citic Securities snapping up a combined $1.45bn.

The Singapore Exchange (SGX) and Shanghai Pudong Development Bank (SPDB) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Wednesday aimed at strengthening cross-border capital market access.