Greater China

Hong Kong’s market regulator has laid out its approach for the listing of infrastructure project companies, addressing potential risks from IPOs in the sector.

China New Higher Education Group (CNHE) has raised HK$914.9 ($117.7m) after pricing its IPO near the mid-point of guidance and exercising its greenshoe in full, according to a source close to the deal.

Bank of Communications, which is planning to spin off its investment banking arm BoCom International Holdings, has set the deadline for recording the share entitlement of existing shareholders.

Bank of China launched its multi-currency, multi-tranche transaction on Tuesday morning, as Citic Securities also opened books for two tranches of dollar notes.

Asia’s primary DCM market is busy on Tuesday ahead of the long Easter weekend, with Lianyungang Port Group, China Oil and Gas Group, Yida China Holdings and Golden Wheel Tiandi Holdings Company opening books for their respective dollar bonds.

Kingboard Chemical Holdings is selling a block of shares in Kingboard Laminates Holdings, with the fixed price offering expected to raise HK$1.2bn ($152.5m).

The Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange (DGCX) on Sunday announced the launch of a Shanghai Gold futures contract, increasing foreign investors' access to China's bullion market.

China’s auto ABS market is heating up after a third deal was announced within a week. Mercedes-Benz Auto Finance’s Silver Arrow China 2017-1 is the latest, featuring two hard credit enhancements and a liquidity support of a general reserve amount.

UBS has appointed May Yan as a managing director to lead its equity research coverage of Greater China financials, according to a memo seen by GlobalCapital Asia.

Foreign investors looking for opportunities in China will now have seven new free trade zones to choose from, following a low-key launch on March 31. While the impact of the individual zones will take time to evaluate, some argue the new FTZs could address China’s capital outflow problems.

Bank of China, CCB Life Insurance and Citic Securities kicked off investor meetings and calls this week, in pursuit of Reg S deals.

Yida China Holdings, Peking University Founder Group Company, Red Star Macalline Group Corp and HKICIM Group are looking to hit the offshore debt market, mandating banks for their respective Reg S transactions on Monday.