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BMW sold an ultra-cheap auto loan securitization in China last week, giving a clear demonstration of investor appetite for highly-rated credits despite the coronavirus epidemic. But other auto financing companies (AFCs) should be realistic about their chances of repeating this success, as liquidity is drying up quickly.

The emerging markets bond business, like much of the rest of the primary markets, hit a stumbling block this week due to the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus. But even if no deals print, delaying the marketing of deals does not make sense. Roadshows should be rolling on — as Belarus is doing — even if deal printing pauses.

In this round-up, the number of global cases of the novel coronavirus has spiked, the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission has concluded a two-year takeover of troubled Anbang Insurance, and the Star board will speed up the review process for IPOs from companies focusing on controlling the epidemic.

Asia’s bond market has had an undeniably stellar start to 2020. Despite the spread of the novel coronavirus, now named Covid-19, investors are continuing to buy bonds at remarkably tight prices as issuance accelerates. But the non-stop enthusiasm raises a serious question — are market participants too positive?

In this round-up, the central bank announced an expected cut to the loan prime rate (LPR), the publishing of monthly credit data for January came later but better than expected and offshore investors have increased their exposure to domestic Chinese bonds since Lunar New Year.

In this round-up, China is set for an unprecedented postponement of its March “Two Session” meetings this year, premier Li Keqiang cautioned against the potential economic fallout from the novel coronavirus outbreak, and the US designated five Chinese media outlets as foreign missions.

The spread of the coronavirus led to a farcical robbery this week. Call it the lighter side of social breakdown.

The poll to determine GlobalCapital's Bond Awards 2020 is open. Until June 30, market participants are invited to choose the firms and individuals who have performed most impressively in the past year.

Several chances to demonstrate commitment to corporate sustainability have occurred in the US private placement market recently, and the market has fallen short in almost every case. Most of the PP market is as unfamiliar with using the term 'ESG' as it is to yelling 'YOLO'.

Apple’s announcement that it is likely to miss revenue estimates for the first quarter of 2020 should serve as a warning to equity investors that the economic effects of the coronavirus outbreak should be feared alongside any threat of it becoming a pandemic.

Some of the more creative souls in corporate debt markets are trying to find ways to gloss over the impact of the IFRS 16 accounting standard. Brought in a year ago, it has driven up some firms’ leverage ratios by forcing them to report leases on their balance sheets, even though their businesses have not changed. But it would be a bad idea to act as if the rules had never changed.

Trans Retail Indonesia has caused a stir by deciding to structure its new syndicated loan with a relatively rare two-stage participation fee payment. Although not all banks will be wholeheartedly on board, the borrower’s move is savvy under the circumstances.