Asia Pacific

A spike in Asian green bond issuance this year has not yet spurred the use of the instrument by borrowers in the Asean region, where the conventional debt markets already face challenges as they develop. But credit enhancements and strong precedents from neighbouring countries could help generate more green activity in southeast Asia, writes Christina Khouri.

Diva Hon has joined Bank of Communications International as an executive director in the equity capital markets team, after spending more than nine years with Citic CLSA Securities.

French banks Natixis and BNP Paribas have rejigged their Asian loan syndication teams.

Romance for young, single investment bankers usually falls prey to their notorious working hours and stressful work.

Everbright Securities Co has started building books for what would be its debut outing in the dollar bond market. The Chinese brokerage firm secured a standby letter of credit (SBLC) from China Merchants Bank for the notes.

The IMF board of directors approved on August 11 a suggestion by IMF staff to extend the current composition of the Special Drawing Rights (SDR) facility to September 2016, the IMF said in an August 19 statement. The timeline for a decision on the possible inclusion of the RMB, however, remains unchanged, with the board set to meet in November.

Weak demand signals from China and increasing currency volatility have extended losses for the copper futures and options market.

Last year's launch of the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect and the technical challenges that followed it highlight the need for continued harmonisation of market practices, according to Omgeo, a post-trade processing firm.

Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation has priced a S$500m ($356m) perpetual non call five, the bank’s first additional tier one (AT1) offering. Deal-hungry investors came in strong for the Lion City’s first AT1 in almost two years.

International Container Terminal Services (ICTSI) provided a breath of fresh air to Asia's bond market this week thanks to its $450m perpetual deal. The lack of issuance this year from Philippine borrowers worked in the company’s favour, with the trade opening up an opportunity for more perps to follow.

The idea of China using its own currency to buy and sell commodities on the global market attracts plenty of scepticism. But the Gold Connect that launched in Hong Kong last month and a new trading platform in the Shanghai free trade zone (FTZ) show that China is serious about its plans to make the RMB into a global commodity currency.

State Bank of India has mandated three banks for a new $500m financing, hitting the loan syndication market roughly a year since its previous deal.