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The biggest pot of money most people will ever have is their pension, so it’s vital that this cash is worked as hard as it can be.

It is sometimes said that Asia’s loan market lacks innovation. But this is just getting ridiculous.

China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has tightened regulations on property companies selling bonds in the overseas market. Those with free market instincts ─ including this paper ─ would typically balk at such heavy-handedness. But a tough stance is exactly what the market needs to become sustainable in the long-run.

The UK’s bulk annuity insurers have enjoyed exceptionally strong sales, and are now coming into the market for debt capital. But bond investors should be aware of the risks inherent in the business.

Strong equity market returns in 2019 have masked investor nerves and active asset mangers' reticence to buy stocks. The latest utterances of US Federal Reserve chair Jay Powell suggest they are right not to be taken in by record-breaking stock indices and that this bull market may be short lived.

Investors in London have been considering the opportunity to invest in Uzbekistan this week, through a new closed-end fund, Oltin, the first internationally listed security giving investors exposure to the Central Asian republic.

In this round-up, GDP growth slowed in the second quarter, exports to the US dropped further and total social financing growth showed the need for more policy easing

In this round-up, trade talks resumed on shaky ground, the insurance regulator tightened rules on trusts investing in real estate companies, the State Council promised to ease the tax burden for smaller enterprises and the government completed the takeover of Anbang Insurance

In this round-up, S&P Global’s wholly-owned China unit gave its first onshore rating to ICBC Leasing, Italy will strengthen ties with the Mainland through a Panda bond and Bond Connect volumes rise.

GlobalCapital invites market participants to nominate their favourite covered bond lead managers, issuers and deals by the close of play today. The shortlists will be decided this week-end and voted on by the market from the start of next week.

The pace of growth in green mortgage financing is improving, but it is still woefully inadequate, particularly with respect to covered bonds where there are no price advantages. Fiddling with mortgage risk weights while the world burns will not change behaviour quickly enough.

Could Deutsche Bank’s relegation from the top table of investment banks puncture Germany’s positive impression of its banking system, leading to a breakthrough in Europe's banking union?