Asia Pacific

The Singapore Exchange has sold a €240m zero coupon convertible bond, its debut equity-linked issue and the first CB from a stock exchange globally in eight years.

The share prices of key subsidiaries of HNA Group took a beating on Monday after the beleaguered Chinese conglomerate announced a bankruptcy restructuring. One of its companies, Hainan Airlines Holding Co, also forecast $10bn of losses for 2020.

Mainland-based healthcare sector issuers SciClone Phamaceuticals (Holdings), New Horizon Health and Joinn Laboratories (China) kicked off pre-deal investor education for their Hong Kong IPOs on Monday.

Singapore’s ride hailing start-up Grab Holding has further increased the size of its term loan B to $2bn following solid traction in the US market.

Hong Kong’s personal loan provider United Asia Finance has increased the size of its loan to HK$2.55bn ($328m) after receiving strong response during syndication.

India’s NTPC, formerly known as National Thermal Power Corp, is making a rare venture into the euro loan market.

A blistering pace of supply in Asia’s dollar bond market in January is set to continue, with more borrowers preparing to print deals this week ahead of the Chinese New Year holidays. But DCM bankers say there are some signs of rising pressure.

Suzhou Basecare Medical Corp has wrapped up its Hong Kong IPO. It was set to price the deal on Monday at the top of the marketed range, according to a source familiar with the matter.

In this round-up, China’s official and the Caixin manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Indexes fall amid a resurgence of local Covid-19 infections, creditors demand a bankruptcy reorganisation of beleaguered conglomerate HNA Group, and Xiaomi Corp files a lawsuit against the US’s decision to add it to a list of Chinese companies with alleged military ties.

Liberty Mutual gave US institutional investors their first chance to pick up subordinated paper with a fixed-for-life coupon in the 144A market this week. Bankers say the issuer may have found a new pool of demand for the product, which has traditionally been reserved for retail channels.

In this round-up, Chinese president Xi Jinping warns of international confrontations from a ‘new cold war’, regulators plan deeper capital market reforms and increased oversight of internet finance platforms, and European insurance giant Allianz receives approval for China’s first fully foreign-owned insurance asset management company.

CMB Financial Leasing Co had to navigate hurdles around structure, timing and pricing for its dual-tranche bond outing this week, managing to bag $800m from a $2.7bn order book.