Asia Pacific

Singapore Diamond Investment Exchange is looking ahead to derivatives products and exchange traded funds as it opens for business as the world’s first commodity exchange for physically settled diamonds.

Kelvin Leung has left Credit Suisse’s non-Japan Asia equity syndicate desk to pursue other interests, according to a source close to the move.

Indonesian consumer financier Federal International Finance (FIF) has reappeared in the syndicated loan market for a fresh borrowing.

Indian mortgage lender HDFC is close to signing up lenders for a $375m borrowing, according to two sources.

China’s Ministry of Finance (MoF) is set to issue its debut offshore renminbi (CNH) government bond in London as early as this month, with one Chinese bank and one foreign bank mandated on the deal.

HDFC Standard Life Insurance Co (HDFC Life) has mandated four houses to run its IPO, which will be India’s first listing by an insurance company.

Manulife US Real Estate Investment Trust kicked off its second try at a Singapore listing on Tuesday with the launch of a bigger, bolder trade, this time expecting to raise up to $470m.

India’s Ujjivan Financial Services has bagged Rp8.8bn ($132.3m) after pricing its listing at the top of its marketing range, in line with the level where investors placed the bulk of their orders.

Standard Chartered has promoted Aaron Gwak to head Asean capital markets.

Yadea Group Holdings has opened books for its HK$1.86bn ($239.69m) IPO in Hong Kong, with the electric vehicle maker signing on $30m worth of commitments from two cornerstones.

A HK$9.7bn ($1.25bn) sell-down in Chinese insurer PICC Property and Casualty Co last weekend has injected some welcome activity into Asia’s block market, which has seen limited business since the start of the year. The success of the deal in the primary and the secondary market is expected to inspire potential sellers to take action. Jonathan Breen reports.

Despite my busy post-retirement schedule of keeping up with Tai Tai and holding marathon drinking sessions at my favourite watering holes, I found time recently to attend one of those big investment conferences in town.