China

Nasdaq-listed China XD Plastics Co has signed a $180m two year financing after a senior syndication phase that lasted a month.

HSBC’s head of Hong Kong/China equity research Steven Sun said in a media briefing on Monday that the impending launch of the Shenzhen Hong Kong Stock Connect scheme is likely to trigger a huge increase in the foreign ownership of Chinese stocks.

Asian debt capital market bankers are advising bond issuers to hit the market sooner rather than later in September, on the back of indications from the Federal Reserve that the case for an increase in rate hike had “strengthened in recent months”.

Jiangsu NewHeadLine (NHL) Development Group has returned to the debt market just months after making its debut, with the Chinese local government financing vehicle tapping its January notes.

Last week's comments from Fed Chair Yellen have increased US rate hike expectations, supporting upward momentum in long CNY swap rates and a steeper curve. Sources say the move is likely to be short lived and that domestic data will provide direction again later this week, writes Deirdre Yeung of Total Derivatives

In this round-up, CIMB signs a custodian deal with China Construction Bank to facilitate investments into China, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) plans membership expansion and the China Foreign Exchange Trade System (CFETS) starts publishing daily exchange rates for the RMB against the British pound, euro and Japanese yen. Plus, a recap of GlobalRMB’s top stories this week.

Baoxin Auto Group has hiked the size of its latest borrowing to $750m from $550m, after its acquisition by China Grand Auto made the deal more appealing, according to bankers.

The China cross-border interbank payment system (CIPS) may struggle to get a large number of banks to sign up as direct participants, but with new features such as netting set to be added, it will become an essential component of China’s renminbi internationalisation strategy.

Poland became the first European country to issue a Panda bond on Thursday, printing a landmark Rmb3bn ($451m) deal. The depreciating renminbi was not enough to put off foreign investors, while the yield pick-up over other sovereign bonds helped ensure a strong order book. Addison Gong reports.

Wanda Commercial Properties Hong Kong has made a rapid return to the syndicated loan market, launching a fresh $500m borrowing barely two months after signing its last facility. Simultaneously, parent Dalian Wanda Group is also understood to be seeking a $700m-$800m club loan, prompting discussions about the company’s appetite for debt. Shruti Chaturvedi reports.

Huarong International Financial Holdings is seeking a HK$1.5bn ($193m) dual tranche loan and has picked a Taiwanese bank to lead the trade.

China Orient Asset Management Corp demonstrated its strength in the bond market this week, pricing a $650m deal off the back of a $4.2bn order book.