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Markets have stabilised after the recent turmoil, but a lack of issuance across corporate bonds and loans this week illustrates how nervous borrowers are that further upheaval could be on its way.

The budding Chinese securitization market has taken another step forward with the National Association of Financial Market Institutional Investors (Nafmii) rolling out the first disclosure framework for consumer loan ABS.

China’s scramble for natural resources may be over. But beyond the impact on sovereign finances of lower commodity prices, Africa’s domestic economies are still drawing investors from Western food and beverage multinationals, private equity — and even Chinese manufacturers

The slowdown of its economy has not dented China’s ambitions in Latin America. However, what is changing is the profile of the projects that China is considering, especially with infrastructure

Confidence that the market has found the clearing level for euro benchmarks from all public sector borrowers in the world of eurozone quantitative easing is premature. A pulled deal by the Province of Ontario shows the need for price discovery.

The European Commission’s plan to harmonise the covered bond market cannot minimise credit risks between different jurisdictions and prevent market fragmentation, as it hopes.

It has taken 18 months or so of turmoil and a recent destruction of many other CEEMEA credit spreads, but Russia has become the surprise safe haven for investors within the emerging markets.

South Korean bond issuers have garnered a reputation for squeezing investors for every penny possible with aggressively-priced transactions. Investors may be critical of their tactics but the market needs to recognise the savviness of this strategy.

The Ranger’s favourite expression — “The rules are, there ain’t no rules” — was thoroughly quashed last week by a load of bankers who love rules.

ANZ and CIMB impress in this year’s Asiamoney’s Fixed Income Poll with ANZ topping the categories for regional credit and interest rates, while the Malayisan bank comes first in regional commodities services.

Whisper it, but regulation is getting better. It’s still growing — there were nearly 2,000 pages to pore over this week — but the détente between the financiers and legislators is starting to deliver.

“O, how full of briers is this working-day world!” Rosalind’s lament in Shakespeare’s As You Like It will no doubt strike a chord with many in the financial services world. The surfeit of regulation that has rained down on the industry shows no sign of relenting and banker bashing remains as popular as bear baiting was in the time of the Bard of Avon.