China

New Zealand is keen to take advantage of growing interest from international investors to support its rising borrowing plans, according to the country’s treasurer.

SingTel Optus, the Australian subsidiary of Singapore Telecommunications, raised HK$1bn ($128m) this week in Hong Kong’s local bond market, one of the few sources of local currency bond volume over the last few weeks.

Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ closed a Rmb1bn ($146m) Panda bond at the end of last week, becoming the first foreign bank to sell bonds in China’s domestic capital market.

Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ will become the first foreign bank to sell bonds in China’s domestic capital markets on Thursday with a Rmb1bn ($146m) issue that marks a big step forward in the liberalisation of the country’s financial system.