Greater China

Mizuho has lost a banker in its syndicated loans department in Hong Kong, according to two sources.

Foreign institutional investors can settle their trades on a T+2 basis in China’s interbank bond market (CIBM), according to a June 29 announcement. The move will boost international investors’ confidence in accessing the Mainland fixed income market, according to participants.

Chinese company Avic International Leasing has increased the size of its latest syndicated loan to $200m from $150m.

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) came closer to making its debut as a borrower in the international bond markets on Thursday when it received its first triple-A credit rating. As its treasurer, Søren Elbech, approaches the day when the AIIB awards its first mandate, the borrower's plans for its funding mix, staffing and debut deal are taking shape.

As the first half comes to an end, the ECM market appears concerned that Hong Kong has lost its title as the top IPO destination in the world, slipping behind China and the US. The drop may be disappointing but market watchers should not read too much into that. The city’s exchange is on much stronger footing this year when compared to 2016.

A €179.4m loan to support Chinese company Aier Eye Hospital Group’s acquisition of Spanish firm Clinica Baviera has entered syndication with three banks at the helm. The deal is another example of Mainland firms’ eagerness to expand overseas, which is in turn giving the country’s lenders with similar ambitions a leg-up as they venture into relatively unexplored markets. Shruti Chaturvedi reports.

Haitong Securities filed a draft prospectus in Hong Kong on Wednesday for the spin off and listing of its leasing unit Haitong UniTrust. The IPO is expected to raise around $500m, according to a banker close to the deal.

Fantasia Holdings Group returned to the high yield bond market for the second time this month, but was forced to pay heavily for a $300m deal.

High yield bond spreads widened out this week as investors suffered from indigestion after heavy supply from Chinese issuers. The buy-side is now more eager than ever for investment grade issuers to hit the market. Morgan Davis reports.

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) and the Chinese Gold and Silver Exchange Society (CGSE) committed to building a “major gold and commodities trading centre in Asia Pacific” on Thursday.

Standard Chartered’s head of capital markets solutions Lesi Zuo is leaving the bank for a job in fintech, according to sources.

The Asia expat world is small, and in Hong Kong it is even smaller. Small enough that you often bump into someone you know at the supermarket. So it is not surprising that often people just want to enjoy some anonymity.