HSBC

The carnage afflicting worldwide financial markets played into a trio of issuers’ hands this week, with each one able to attract strong demand from investors seeking safety in uncertain times.

Emerging market bankers are saying that greater scrutiny may now need to be paid to the ratings calendar when printing bonds after Standard & Poor’s downgrade of Poland on Friday prompted one of the worst sell-offs of an EM new issue in recent memory.

Crédit Agricole issued the one and only covered bond of the week on Thursday and showed that it is possible to get a strong outcome in a tough market.

The World Bank and Cades were both able to bring large deals at the short end of the dollar curve on Thursday, despite a difficult market backdrop for issuers.

National Bank of Abu Dhabi has hired a new head of transaction management in debt origination and distribution.

Four banks have rolled out a S$1.75bn ($1.22bn) five year financing for a subsidiary of Singapore’s Universal Terminal.

KEB Hana Bank battled choppy markets with its first international outing after its merger. As volatility heightened during bookbuilding, the lender opted to scale back the size of the deal in exchange for tighter pricing.

India's Quick Heal Technologies wrapped up investor meetings for its $70m-$80m IPO last week and plans to open books in mid-February, according to sources.

GlobalCapital Asia held a New Year drinks and awards reception at Isono in Hong Kong on January 20, 2016.

The State of Baden-Wüerttemberg and NRW.Bank priced deals in euros on Wednesday thus avoiding a clash with Thursday's European Central Bank meeting.

Armacell, the German foam insulation manufacturer, has launched a€660m debt acquisition package to back its buyout by Blackstone and Kirkbi from Charterhouse Capital Partners.

While markets have been badly affected by a mixture of worrying economic data from China, falling commodity prices and a continued slump in many emerging markets, the SSA market looks solid.