Asia Pacific

Sunac China Holdings made an opportunistic buyback of some of its outstanding dollar bonds on Thursday, in a move that bankers said can add some liquidity into the debt market while instilling confidence in the real estate company’s cash reserves.

Mercedes-Benz Auto Finance broke an almost year-long break from the China auto ABS market this week with a Rmb6.316bn ($892m) deal. The company added a three month revolving period to its transaction, a rarity for issuers.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is to start quantitative easing for the first time, it said on Thursday, while earlier this week the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) slashed rates and the New Zealand Treasury set out plans to increase its bond market borrowing.

Asia’s stock markets dived on Thursday as investors opted to hoard cash and global safe havens roiled with coronavirus-driven volatility. Amid the turmoil, however, equity capital markets bankers are trying to look ahead and are preparing for deals in the second half of the year. Jonathan Breen reports.

A number of companies in Asia are understood to be following their European and US peers in drawing down revolving credit facilities as the rapid spread of Covid-19 bites. While this could pose some liquidity challenges in the loan market in the coming weeks, bankers are hoping the pain will be short-lived. Rashmi Kumar reports.

Shandong Ruyi Technology Group has had an interesting month: firing its onshore ratings agency, missing an interest payment on a bond, and then promising to repay the money privately to avoid a public default. The actions have triggered worries that more cash-strapped companies will follow its example. Rebecca Feng reports.

Humanwell Healthcare Group Co, a pharmaceuticals company based in the epicentre of the Covid-19 pandemic, has launched a $150m loan into general syndication.

The decision by the Reserve Bank of India to permanently wipe out Yes Bank’s Rp84.15bn ($1.14bn) Basel III-compliant additional tier one bond left the market in awe of the central bank’s tough stance. But it could be just what investors need right now.

The stress of Covid-19 is getting to us all. Especially those of us whose main form of exercise is rigorous sitting.

Shanghai Titan Scientific, Speechocean and Easton Biopharmaceuticals are all planning to make a second attempt at listing on Shanghai’s Star market.

Cambodia’s Prasac Microfinance Institution has returned to the loan market for a $75m deal amid an ownership change.

China Huiyuan Juice Group is contemplating a restructuring to improve its liquidity position, after failing to avoid a bond default due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The company is also facing a delisting from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.