Greater China

Crédit Agricole has moved one of its sustainable banking specialists to Asia, hoping to capitalise on what it expects to be a growing market for green bonds.

Chinese city commercial bank Bank of Shanghai Co priced a rare bond backed by a standby letter of credit (SBLC) on Wednesday, seeing an over five times covered book but leaving a few basis points on the table.

Zhongyuan Yuzi Investment Holding Group Co sold the first offshore bond from a Chinese local government financing vehicle (LGFV) on Wednesday, pricing it 15bp inside analysts’ fair value estimates.

A slew of Chinese issuers are wooing dollar bond investors on Thursday, as Philippine company Petron Corp also competes for buy-side attention.

New Sports Group will double its share capital with two placements that aim to raise a combined HK$1bn ($128m), said the company.

China ZhengTong Auto Services Holdings opened books on Thursday morning for an up to HK$1.6bn ($211m) capital increase.

Dollar investors had plenty of Chinese property bonds to choose from this week, with four issuers competing for their attention on Tuesday. But with no end in sight to the pipeline, companies will have to navigate the market carefully, or cough up a premium for their bonds.

Goldman Sachs has added two senior executives to its investment banking division in Hong Kong who will focus on equity and equity-linked products.

Chinese issuers BOSC International, a local government financing vehicle from Henan, Lai Fung Holdings and Hilong Holding are in the market with new deals on a busy day for issuance.

Chinese technology giant Tencent Holdings is taking feedback from global investors for a 144A/Reg S transaction, and is looking to hit the market on Thursday morning.

India’s IL&FS Transportation Networks launched an offshore renminbi bond on Wednesday morning, following Westpac Banking Corp’s opening of the dim sum market earlier this week.

China Aircraft Leasing Group Holdings (CALC) has sealed a rare asset-backed securities deal in the onshore market — the first dollar-denominated ABS to be publicly traded. But while the transaction holds symbolic significance, the format is unlikely to become the norm for the Chinese ABS market.