Asia Pacific

Diversification has taken hold in central Asia's Uzbekistan, which over the last two years has started its pivot towards international capital markets. According to sources, a plethora of debut deals is expected to hit markets in coming months.

The New York Stock Exchange’s flip-flop on whether to delist three Chinese telecommunications giants caused plenty of confusion in the market this week, but mainland companies are still keen to sell shares in the US. Jonathan Breen reports.

Singaporean ride-hailing company Grab Holdings has added a dash of excitement to the loan market with plans to raise $750m from a new outing. Pan Yue reports.

Singapore-based Ivanhoe Capital listed a special purpose acquisition company (Spac) on the New York Stock Exchange this week, raising $240m after increasing the size of the float.

Crédit Agricole has named Victoria Land as its new head of sustainable banking for Asia Pacific.

Asia’s dollar bond market reopened this week with record issuance. Issuers are usually keen to get in ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday, but the start to 2021 has seen a rush of new primary deals like never before. Bankers said the supply will continue, although they expect it to slow down in the next few weeks. Morgan Davis reports.

The stock exchanges in Shanghai and Shenzhen have introduced new regulations to forcibly delist companies, fast-tracking the process and giving more clarity about the various scenarios that can push firms to exit the bourses. There are loopholes, however, and the true impact of the regime on China’s equities market will probably be limited, writes Addison Gong.

Sometimes one gets a stark reminder that there are different levels of wealth. This realisation struck a good friend of mine recently, with terrifying implications.

StanChart bolsters sustainable finance team — CreditAg names Apac sustainability head — BOC HK appoints CEO — HKEX picks interim chief — Hang Seng has new chairman

KEB Hana Bank (KHB) of South Korea has set up a covered bond programme and, given the strength of market conditions, there are high hopes that a deal will be mandated soon.

State Bank of India successfully raised $600m with a bond issue underwritten by leading investment banks on Wednesday, just weeks after big investors divested from its green bonds because of its apparent intention to finance the controversial Carmichael coal mine being developed in Australia.

BMW Automotive Finance (China) Co and SAIC-GMAC Automotive Finance Co are edging closer to sealing their first China auto loan asset-backed securitization deals of the year.