Asia Pacific

Chinese regulators jointly released a new set of guidelines to further push financial reform in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone (FTZ) on October 30. The changes aim to accelerate the opening up of capital account and make Shanghai a genuine international financial centre.

China General Nuclear Power Corp (CGNPC) has wrapped up its second dollar deal of the year, using a keepwell agreement this time around rather than a direct guarantee. Despite the less investor-friendly structure, the company saw a huge following and managed to price the notes with little new issue premium.

Beijing Environment Sanitation Engineering Group (BESG) wasted little time with its inaugural international bond, wrapping up a euro-denominated deal before European investors were even able to get a look at it.

Alister Moss, who left the banking industry three years ago, is set to make a comeback by joining Nomura's DCM syndicate team.

Dali Foods Group Co is expected to open books in the week of November 2 for its $1.5bn IPO in Hong Kong, after investors gave the thumbs up to the Chinese snack food maker during pre-marketing.

In this round-up, Macau’s RMB deposits, SDR review decision drawing close, BRICS NDB and AIIB ready operations, BoC reports on RMB business in first three quarters, and CFETS plans a joint venture with Deutsche Boerse.

China’s newly launched Cross-border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) is fundamental to the internationalisation of the renminbi as it centralises liquidity and will save costs, says Marcus Sehr, global head of institutional cash, global transaction banking at Deutsche Bank.

Singapore-based agricultural products supplier Olam International has raised a $1bn loan from a group of 19 lenders.

Goldman Sachs and Sumitomo Mitsui Trust raised $500m of five year funding this week using a novel triple recourse special purpose vehicle called SumitG.

A three-party working group consisting of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), Singapore Exchange (SGX) and Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) is seeking to turn the city-state into Asia’s hub for capital raising in the maritime sector.

Beijing-based boutique investment bank, China Renaissance, has launched a new division to advise companies looking to raise funds in China’s onshore capital markets, expanding the firm’s services to include both its home and overseas markets.

In a rare move, China International Capital Corp (CICC) has named all 11 banks working on its HK$6.29bn ($811.61m) high-profile Hong Kong IPO as joint global co-ordinators. But instead of sparking a turf war among its syndicate, the move has won praise from bankers on the trade. John Loh reports.