Greater China

The year-end bond rush is upon us, with a number of issuers from China, India and South Korea mandating banks on Tuesday for their planned dollar bonds.

GAC-Sofinco Auto Finance completed a Rmb4bn ($603.6m) asset-backed securities transaction on Monday, its first in China since 2014. The originator focused on tight pricing, thereby snubbing investors vying for a bargain, but it still gained the support of accounts familiar with its business.

Property developer Soho China has filed for a Rmb10bn ($1.5bn) medium term note programme with the National Association of Financial Market Institutional Investors, in preparation for its debut deal in the Panda bond market.

China’s Tianqi Lithium Corp raised $300m on Monday, with its dollar bond debut being more than six times covered. Several factors coincided to give the deal a fillip, including the scarcity value of the company's notes, its market leading position, and a yield pick-up over similarly rated state-owned names.

China Resource Cement Holdings is making a return to Panda bonds more than a year after its debut in the Mainland’s onshore renminbi market.

Credit Suisse has boosted its China equity research coverage, hiring 11 analysts to its Asia Pacific research team in recent months.

Chinese issuers are storming the debt market this week, with Tuesday seeing the Export-Import Bank of China (Chexim), Shanghai Commercial Bank and Oceanwide Holdings Co among the borrowers enticing investors.

China State Construction International Holdings and Shenzhen International Holdings are taking bids for dollar bonds, while Yiwu State-owned Capital Operation Co has mandated banks for a Reg S deal. On the other hand, Lifestyle International Holdings has decided not to pursue its fundraising for the time being.

Chiyu Banking Corp is marketing its first international bond, following in the footsteps of its Chinese peers with a Basel III compliant additional tier one trade.

Volkswagen Finance (China) is gearing up for its third appearance this year in the Chinese asset-backed securities market, plotting a Rmb3.5bn ($528.1m) deal. The transaction comes amid a flurry of foreign name originations in China in recent weeks.

China’s Liaoning Fangda Group Industrial Co and BlueFocus Communication Group Co are meeting investors this week for their first international bond offerings. Huarong Real Estate Co, meanwhile, will hit the road for a euro deal.

Toyota Motor Finance (China) has sealed a Rmb3bn ($452.7m) transaction in the Chinese asset-backed securities market — its second deal in the country this year. While the trade was wrapped up successfully, the issuer’s efforts to woo Bond Connect investors appeared to have been in vain, said sources.