Australia

ING is making a return to the Australian RMBS market with its well-established IDOL series, which is expected to free up A$750m ($526m) for the Dutch lender.

Korean banks have pulled back from the Samurai market, as funding costs have moved against them, but some other names have stepped into the breach. Australian banks are a key fixture in the Samurai markets, while the arrival of Maybank this year gives a pointer to future issuance. Asia Pacific financial institutions issuers are also proving instrumental in the steady development of the Pro-Bond market. Volatility in China, however, is not helping anybody. In September, some of Asia Pacific’s leadering FIG borrowers spoke to GlobalCapital about prospects in the Japanese capital markets.

Japan’s debt market is not often known for its structural diversity, but a smattering of bank capital deals over the past year-and-a-half have provided a rare treat for yield-starved investors. There is little reason, though, to think supply will approach the level local investors would like for a long time to come. Matthew Thomas reports.

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Chinese paediatric nutrition company, Biostime International, has signed a $450m one year bridge loan to fund its acquisition of Australian firm Swisse Wellness.

HSBC has promoted Sean Henderson to the role of deputy head of debt capital markets for Asia Pacific, as well as head of capital financing for Singapore, according to an internal memo seen by GlobalCapital Asia.

The US risks becoming “incredibly isolated” in its approach to securitization regulation, as Europe and potentially other regions implement standards for high quality securitization, delegates at IMN’s ABS East conference heard.

Citi has kept the red hot Australian RMBS market going with a A$1.2bn ($860m) transaction that priced on September 11. And similar to Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s (CBA) deal this month, Citi too was able to print a much bigger deal than initially planned.

Syndication for a $274m loan for Indian pharmaceutical company Strides Arcolab is under way, with one lender at the helm. The proceeds are for the company’s acquisition of Aspen’s generic pharmaceutical business in Australia.

Citi has been quick to capitalise on the reopening in the Australian RMBS market with a new A$500m ($346m). It follows hard on the heels of Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s (CBA) recent A$2bn trade that came after a jittery period in markets.

Barclays has strengthened its Asia Pacific coverage of the oil and gas sector with the hire of Jorge Martinez from HSBC.

The recent volatility experienced across global markets proved no obstacle to a RMBS trade from Commonwealth Bank of Australia. While the jittery market did force CBA to price at the investor-friendly end of guidance, the Australian bank managed to raise A$2bn ($1.4bn), double what it originally conveyed.