Free content

In this round-up, countries around the world have confirmed 14,641 deaths from Covid-19 infections, the coronavirus epicentre of Wuhan is gradually loosening its lockdown, and the New Development Bank is giving China its largest loan.

In this round-up, Europe has now seen more Covid-19 infections than China and Italy more fatalities than the Mainland, the central bank has decided not to lower the loan prime rate (LPR), and Beijing has banned reporters from three US newspapers.

“There are decades when nothing happens; and there are weeks when decades happen.” So said Vladimir Lenin, although the founder of Soviet Russia probably didn’t write this with the capital markets in mind.

The decision by the Reserve Bank of India to permanently wipe out Yes Bank’s Rp84.15bn ($1.14bn) Basel III-compliant additional tier one bond left the market in awe of the central bank’s tough stance. But it could be just what investors need right now.

GlobalCapital has compiled a short list of companies known to have drawn their revolvers or arranged new loans since the coronavirus crisis engulfed markets.

The stress of Covid-19 is getting to us all. Especially those of us whose main form of exercise is rigorous sitting.

These are extraordinary and testing times for the global economy. But if there’s one thing that we have learned from past economic crises, it is that public sector institutions are crucial, both as borrowers keeping capital markets open and in their work channeling money to repair economic and human damage, and stimulate growth.

The Bank of Japan (BoJ) has joined a growing number of central banks around the world rushing to solve a problem that is not monetary in nature. Their actions are understandable — but the BoJ offers a clear example of the limits of monetary policy to solve real-world problems.

Central banks are dusting off the 2008 playbook, thrusting liquidity at the banking system and hoping some of it gets through to banks' end clients. It’s better than nothing, but the coronavirus crisis one primarily of corporates — and the rescue toolkit needs updating.

In this round-up, the reserve requirement ratio cut in China went into effect on Monday, the country’s industrial output declined sharply in the first two months of the year, and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange lifted the cap on outstanding foreign debt of Chinese issuers.

In this round-up, the central bank will lower banks' reserve requirement ratio on Monday, Chinese president Xi Jinping made his first visit to epicentre Wuhan since Covid-19 began, and the central bank and securities regulator promised more bond market reform.

The world’s largest economy is, among advanced societies, the least prepared to deal with containing the spread of Covid-19. This will have grave repercussions for the global economy.