Japan
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The Development Bank of Japan has managed to yank the spread in by 8bp for its third sustainability bond on Wednesday, which was still more than three times subscribed. -
Mizuho Financial Group came to the market with a bond financing green projects on Tuesday, becoming the second Japanese bank to do a green euro deal in two weeks.
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Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) came to the market with a seven year senior unsecured bond on Wednesday to finance green projects, with Mizuho still in the pipeline for a green deal of its own.
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French banks have been frequenting the Samurai market all year, and the latest trade from Banque Fédérative du Crédit Mutuel (BFCM) this week offered Japanese accounts a rare chance to invest in the senior preferred format.
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International investors are recognising the progress that Abenomics has made in turning around Japan’s recently moribund economy. The long-awaited acceleration in domestic demand is finally taking place, while business confidence is high. But can this progress be maintained while inflation and government finances remain weak and North Korea pushes the region towards conflict?
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Although the dynamics of the basis swap can make the yen market a volatile source of funding for international borrowers, the arguments for accessing it are compelling.
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Japan’s banks have passed the stability test. Now their challenge is to build up profits — a difficult task when considering negative interest rates and ultra-thin lending margins.
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While Japan remains the world’s largest creditor, its investors are not making much of an impact in the euro and dollar SSA bond markets. Instead, they are making their presence felt in Australian dollars and, as ever, the Uridashi market.
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Despite disappointing volumes this year, from both a supply and a demand standpoint, the arguments for issuing in Pro-Bond format are as relevant as they have ever been and the longer‑term outlook for the market remains healthy. TLAC and MREL capital issuance could be particularly heavy — and lucrative.
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Japanese retail investors have been keen buyers of ‘themed’ or ESG (environmental, social and governance) bonds for many years, and institutional investor appetite for green or socially responsible issuance is now growing rapidly. This is creating a wealth of opportunities for international and local issuers in the ESG market. A multinational panel of issuers in the global and Japanese capital market gathered to discuss the prospects for increased Japanese investor demand in this fast-expanding area.
