Asia Pacific

Kazakhstan is a step closer improving foreign investor access to its domestic market and has signed a memorandum of interest with Euroclear, which will allow the settlement provider to clear bonds denominated in tenge.

Options volumes were up 11% in exchanges around the world last year, while futures were down 6.6%, according to new data unveiled by the Futures Industry Association.

Guotai Junan International raked in HK$1.99bn ($255.2m) from an H-share placement on Wednesday, its first tap of the equity capital markets in over three years.

Chinese companies Xiamen Xiangyu Group Corp and Shimao Property Holdings each raised $500m on Tuesday, but saw different reactions to their bonds. While investors were keen on the former investment grade rated name, demand for the property industry is starting to see some pull back.

Indonesia’s Medco Energi Internasional and China’s GCL New Energy Holdings bagged $500m each from debt investors on Tuesday, showing the appeal of the commodities and renewable industries.

Hong Kong’s stock exchange wants to make technical — but undoubtedly important — changes to Bond Connect, putting increasing emphasis on expanding its fixed income and currencies product offering, said Charles Li, the exchange’s chief executive.

The first Hong Kong IPO to have dual-class shares could come as early as this autumn, the head of the city’s bourse said this week.

Frasers Commercial Trust topped up its equity capital on Tuesday with a S$100m ($76.1m) placement of new units, boosted on the back of strong demand.

Chinese data centre operator GDS Holdings has opened a follow-on placement of its American Depository Shares (ADS), eyeing around $200m.

Onshore investors forced red chip issuer Country Garden Holdings to pull a Rmb1.8bn ($281.2m) three year bond on Tuesday. It would have been the real estate company’s first deal in the Panda market since September 2016.

Shenzhen International Holdings has raised Rmb300m ($46.9m) from a five year non put three Panda bond. The deal, which marked the issuer’s first outing in the asset class, was also the first Panda to list in the exchange market in 2018.

Dongying Fangyuan Nonferrous Metals Co has made a rapid return to the dollar loan market, seeking commitments for a $100m one year facility.