Asia Pacific

Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom) has asked banks to submit bids for a €1bn financing to support its M&A activities, said a banker whose firm is in the race for the mandate.

Pakistan’s securities regulator has overhauled its IPO rules to make the country’s bookbuilding process more market-friendly.

National Australia Bank has mandated its own investment bank to lead a potential mortgage securitization that could include a green tranche, making it only the second issuer of green residential mortgage-backed securities.

European stock markets have enjoyed a solid start to 2018, led by a metals and commodities rally that has been strengthening since the beginning of autumn. But the market must consider whether the good times are organic or due to temporary measures in China.

United Overseas Bank in Singapore was able to price a seven year euro covered bond in line with Westpac on Tuesday. Although UOB was unable to match the pricing of DBS Bank, it achieved 'remarkable traction' with second and third tier investors across Europe.

Chicago Mercantile Exchange Group (CME) and Japan Exchange Group (JPX) on Monday announced that Yen-denominated Tokyo Stock Price Index (TOPIX) futures would launch on CME’s Globex platform on February 5.

In the third instalment of our 2017 awards, we present the full write-ups of the winners of the Best Local Currency Bond, Best High Yield Bond, Best Financial Bond, Best SSA Bond, Best Investment Grade Bond, Best Project Finance Deal, Best Bond, Best G3 and Local Currency Bond House, and Best High Yield Bond House.

Westpac Banking Corp raised Rmb500m ($77m) from a three year offshore renminbi bond on Monday, becoming the first dim sum note issuer of 2018.

Trans Media Corpora, the TV broadcasting arm of Indonesian conglomerate CT Corp, is due to launch a new borrowing into general syndication soon, according to two bankers working on the transaction.

DCM bankers often market Panda bonds as Belt and Road bonds, even when they have little to do with China’s landmark infrastructure plan. But in recent weeks, issuers with genuine needs for funding Belt and Road projects have started to tap the market. The change could open up a new frontier for RMB internationalisation.

Kyochon F&B, operator of South Korean fried chicken franchise Kyochon Chicken, is considering a domestic IPO, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Investors lapped up Longfor Properties Co’s $800m bonds on Monday, in a vote of confidence not just for the investment grade rated Chinese company but also the broader property industry.