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The politics of the Western world might be uglier and more frightening than ever, especially if you happen to be one of those whiny metropolitan globalising elite types, but, um, investment banks are making money again?

A mix of local politics and broader market developments may gradually strip Hong Kong of its role as the cutting edge centre for renminbi internationalisation. But that is probably a good development, at least as far as China’s longer-term strategy is concerned.

Who will win the US presidential election on November 8 was far from clear this week. But it looks increasingly likely that a Donald Trump win could bring 2016's primary capital markets activity to an abrupt halt.

The US stock market and the dollar have been falling since last week, as fears have grown that Donald Trump might win the US presidency in Tuesday's election.

Both investment grade and high yield corporate issuers pumped out primary paper at a vigorous pace this week, as they bore out volatility to get ahead of the November 8 US elections.

An inconclusive result would be far and away the worst possible outcome of next week’s US presidential election, said a head of funding at a European agency, with any repeat of the legal wrangles that followed the 2000 vote likely to fuel market volatility.

A shift of momentum in the US presidential race has sent tremors through derivatives markets this week, with equity implied volatility ramping up, credit index spreads widening and the Mexican peso slumping against the dollar.

The EMEA loans market has been so far unruffled by next week’s US presidential elections — even if in the US itself deal flow has paused and the consequences of the vote could be far reaching, according to several loans bankers.

A man of my intelligence really ought to have known better. I should have trusted my instincts when an acquaintance I hadn't heard from in years invited me, out of the blue, to a news conference his company was holding in the Island Shangri-La hotel last week.

Chinese property issuers have stormed the international debt market recently, making a big comeback after months of relying on domestic bond fundraisings. But with the offshore market softening and the outlook around the sector cooling, high yield issuers should be prepared for a bumpy ride.

Hong Kong’s IPO sponsors are in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons as Standard Chartered and UBS face investigations by the city’s regulator. As a former IPO banker and joint author of the study manual for sponsors, our columnist Clawback is perfectly placed to delve into the pitfalls for banks.

The IFC’s new 'forests bond' has much to recommend it, but like so many other green investments, its main value lies in publicity, not purely in financing.