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Asia’s issuers should consider the merits of issuing 144A dollar bonds. While investors at home stay on the sidelines, US bondholders have proved far more willing to buy into primary deals.

It may be August, with its accompanying lethargy and investor absence, but it’s about time that public sector borrowers put their collective shoulder to the wheel and did a few deals. The European and American buyside is on holiday, but issuers should be hopping to catch the opportunities being offered in the Kangaroo market.

Last week’s disappointing data has led some analysts to question whether the US Federal Reserve will be able to wriggle out of tapering its quantitative easing programme in September as planned.

Japanese president Shinzo Abe’s efforts to encourage inflation and economic growth have greatly depreciated the yen’s value. This in turn is having repercussions for other Asian nations. Chris Wright reports.

The country has strategically positioned itself as the world’s most important Islamic finance centre. It boasts growing volumes and many advantages as a financial hub, but the market needs to focus on internationalising to take full advantage of its potential.

The country’s leaders are pushing for major state-owned enterprise reform to let private companies compete in sectors dominated by government-backed companies. While many industries will present investment opportunities during this process, there are three that will be particularly intriguing to watch.

The country needs infrastructure investment, but the government’s obsession on linking with neighbouring countries by high speed rail may cost it an opportunity to become more competitive.

The country’s banks will find it challenging to raise the capital required to fulfil Basel III standards – unless they can make instruments more attractive to investors or meaningfully reduce non-performing assets.

Germany’s leading financial city has become the latest to openly state its desire to become an international hub for the renminbi. It is a logical destination, given that the European Central Bank is based there and Germany accounts for a major proportion of exports from the eurozone. ASIAMONEY speaks with a set of experts to discuss the potential.

The country boasts beaches as fine as Thailand, good resort hotels and increasingly international-class casinos too. It is keen to establish itself as an international travel destination to rival regional alternatives, but this opportunity will require regular and consistent government support if the country is to achieve its full potential. ASIAMONEY speaks with a panel of experts on the opportunities and challenges that the tourism, leisure and gaming sectors present to the country.

Top 3 Asia (ex Japan) G3 DCM Transactions - 2012 YTD

The performance of property companies in China is likely to bifurcate, with the weakest names such as Renhe Commercial Holdings at risk of defaulting over the next year, according to S&P.