Free content

Asia’s local currency bond markets, which received a big fillip following the region’s financial crisis in 1997, have come a long way as economies work towards insulating themselves from global volatility. But although the region’s economies are now in better shape, there is no room for complacency, writes Rashmi Kumar.

A lot has changed for capital markets bankers in Asia over the last 30 years — and not just their favourite bars. GlobalCapital Asia asks veteran bankers to wander down memory lane and pick their best, and worst, moments.

The Asian financial crisis forced countries in the region to become more resilient. The global financial crisis proved they had done just that. But what shape will the next crisis take — and how are Asian economies equipped to deal with it? Matthew Thomas finds out.

New technologies are marching into the securities issuance process. This week came bids to shake up two very different kinds of private debt — traditional corporate Schuldscheine and funky structured notes.

Whatever the Italian politicians who form the next government say or do, it is in Brussels and Frankfurt where the fate of Banca Carige and its ilk lies.

The €13bn rights issue of UniCredit was acclaimed as the Equity Capital Markets Deal of the Year at GlobalCapital’s 2017 ECM Awards, which were presented on Tuesday night at our third ECM Awards Dinner, held at One Whitehall Place in London.

We bankers love to claim we are the masters of the universe, and in the majority of cases this is true. But there is one thing that strikes genuine fear into our hearts.

The shock departure of deputy chief executive Didier Valet from Société Générale last week leaves a hole at the top of the bank’s corporate and investment bank that will be difficult to fill, writes David Rothnie

China’s regulators have floated the idea of using Chinese Depository Receipts (CDR) to attract the mainland’s new economy giants to list on the home market — a big step in the right direction if China wants to win the returning business of its foreign listed technology firms. But with rules around the issuance still in the works, focusing on small names may reap big rewards.

GlobalCapital revealed the winners of its Equity Capital Markets Awards 2017 at our third annual Awards Dinner in London on March 20. CEOs and CFOs were present to collect Awards for landmark deals such as the UniCredit and Santander rights issues and the IPOs of Allied Irish Banks and Pirelli.

The first structured bond to be issued via blockchain has arrived — without the involvement of an investment bank.

Russia’s new bond may well be an act of defiance from the government, but it was also a savvy move in the capital markets as pressure on the country increases. Russia must have been keen to show that it did not need to alter course for funding in the face of allegations that it has poisoned ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the UK. But financially it was also a sensible move that helps to fund the country in the face of an escalation of the situation.