Goldman Sachs

Bankers marketing the latest crop of IPOs from China’s technology sector got their game face on this week amid escalating fears of a trade war with the US.

Ascletis Pharma is in the market with the first biotechnology IPO in Hong Kong following the bourse’s historic change in listing rules.

There is a sense that banks in the Middle East are being encouraged to pledge allegiance in the public bond markets to either Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates or to Qatar, as the diplomatic tensions between the two sides rumble on. But in the MTN market it is becoming clear that no such division exists.

With Lloyd Blankfein, arguably Wall Street’s most successful CEO, stepping down, Goldman Sachs is ready to face up to a new challenge. Fortunately for David Solomon, his replacement, the bank’s unique model is working properly again.

Goldman’s new CEO David Solomon has a lot in his in-tray, not least a resurgent Morgan Stanley that has firmly hit its stride, writes David Rothnie.

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) is looking for international buyers of its green bonds for the first time as it prepares a roughly $402m new issue.

Chinese firm Ascletis Pharma has launched bookbuilding for a HK$3.58bn ($456.9m) IPO, the first company to take advantage of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange’s new biotechnology-friendly listing regime.

Power generation group Contour was in the euro high yield market this week with a two tranche double-B bond refinancing, with the firm looking to join a raft of other issuers that have refinanced despite spreads leaking wider this year.

Goldman Sachs announced on Tuesday that chief executive and chairman Lloyd Blankfein will retire, and David Solomon will replace him in both roles.

The Republic of Angola has tapped the $1.25bn 9.375% 2048s it sold in May for a further $500m, marking the first dollar bond printed in the CEEMEA market for over a month. The deal was anchored by reverse enquiry.

Chinese start-up Pinduoduo, a challenger to e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, has launched bookbuilding for an up to $1.63bn IPO of American Depository Shares.

Cango, a Chinese online marketplace for vehicle sales, has started bookbuilding for its $150m IPO on the New York Stock Exchange.