JP Morgan

GDS Holdings added some much-needed diversity to Asia’s equity-linked market with its first print in the format on Thursday, which proved a hit with investors.

African debut issuer Vivo Energy, the sole distributor of Shell products on the continent, is beginning to market a $400m bond this week.

A pair of Samsung Group insurers are looking to offload W1.33tr ($1.2bn) of shares in sister firm Samsung Electronics, poised to be South Korea’s largest overnight bookbuild since 2011.

Chinese used car e-commerce platform Uxin began investor education for a potential $500m Nasdaq IPO on Wednesday, said a banker on the deal.

JP Morgan has hired lifetime Macquarie Capital banker Jim Miller as vice-chairman of investment banking in Australia, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Bond market havoc following the Italian president’s decision to appoint a technocratic government has shut the euro market for most public sector borrowers. Volatile swap spreads are making issuance near impossible, while an “enormous” flattening in Italy’s curve is of particular concern for that sovereign, said one head of SSA syndicate.

Property developers Times China Holdings, Central China Real Estate and China South City Holdings raised funds from the dollar bond market on Monday, with all three finding sufficient buy-side interest.

China Energy Reserve & Chemicals Group Co (CERCG) said on Sunday evening that it has officially defaulted on its dollar bonds, marking the third offshore default from Greater China in recent weeks. Markets participants are not stressing about it though, but are instead optimistic about a strong week for primary and secondary markets.

JP Morgan has named Mahir Zaimoglu head of EMEA financial sponsors M&A and deputy head of its sponsors group, in a move intended to reflect the increasing importance of PE firms, sovereign wealth funds and family offices as drivers of M&A activity.

Guarantor: France

The political manoeuvrings in Italy’s path to being governed — as well as poor eurozone economic data — played havoc with rates this week, leading to SSA deals either paying higher new issue concessions, or falling short of subscription. More volatility could come, after the country’s president approved the likely coalition partners’ choice of prime minister but held back from appointing a eurosceptic economist to take charge of the country’s economy. Craig McGlashan reports.

Vodafone was welcomed with open arms in the US as it printed the biggest dollar bond in its history, executing a quick fire acquisition financing.