Hong Kong SAR

Singapore-listed commodities trader Noble Group returned to the international bond market on Monday after a hiatus of nearly three years. Despite the continuous noise around the credit, investors appear to have put the company’s past behind them as they piled into the $750m deal.

Chinese firm Inner Mongolia Energy Engineering Co is vying for approval to list in Hong Kong, according to a filing on Monday.

The CEO of HKEX may be keen for Saudi Aramco to list in Hong Kong but as our columnist Clawback explains, there are more reasons for the Saudi oil giant to bypass the city’s exchange than to pick it for a listing.

Natixis is rebuilding its DCM team in Asia Pacific following some high profile departures since last year.

Hong Kong-based non-bank financial firm AMTD is looking to list its investment banking (IB) arm on top of the planned IPO of its insurance division, according to sources.

Hong Kong clothing manufacturer Crystal Group and Shenzhen Eyeis Ophthalmic Medical Co are looking to float for a combined $1bn, according to a banker familiar with the matter.

China Boqi Environmental Co is seeking approval from Hong Kong’s bourse to launch an IPO, according to a filing on Thursday.

In this round-up, Hong Kong’s RMB deposits dropped to a near six-year low, the Mutual Recognition of Funds scheme saw meagre flows to Mainland and Hong Kong funds, and the Stock Connect had a surge in net purchases in February. Plus, a recap of our stories this week.

Credit Suisse has made Ali Naqvi head of its Asia Pacific global markets division, less than a year after the team went through a restructuring.

Hangzhou Mi Lu Technology Co, which owns Chinese social media platform kktv5.com, is laying the groundwork for a Hong Kong IPO this year, according to bankers close to the matter.

The heat is on for IPOs in south-east Asia, with banks staging charm offensives towards investors during pre-marketing.

The Hong Kong Stock Exchange is set to pull out all the stops to woo energy giant Saudi Aramco to list on the bourse, with its chief executive describing it as a “match made in heaven” this week. But the HKEX has even bigger ambitions — to move from an exchange dominated by Chinese companies to one with foreign issuers, writes Jonathan Breen.