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In this round-up, the Swiss franc set to become directly convertible with RMB, CCB gets a Zurich branch, QDII2 could launching in Shanghai FTZ, booming RMB trade in Korea, Los Angeles tries to get the edge, DBS launches in Qingdao to leverage Belt and Road plans, and CSOP launches two new China ETFs in New York.

Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city (SSTEC) has completed its debut foray into the offshore bond market this week, raising Rmb1bn ($157m) from a three year offering. The debutant was able to piggyback on the success of recent dim sum outings from Chinese financial institutions.

The visit of president Xi Jinping to the UK this week has stirred much debate about the degree of kowtowing by British politicians and royals to the Chinese leader. But politics aside, the glut of new measures and transactions that accompanied the visit means the London RMB hub advanced in leaps and bounds.

Sovereigns and quasi-sovereigns continue to dominate Latin America new issues, as Uruguay this week showed that attractive all-in funding costs are on offer thanks in large part to low base rates.

Latin American trade finance bank Bladex is understood to be monitoring levels in Japan’s Pro-Bond market and could become the second name from the region to issue there.

Little-known South American funding agency Fonplata is working with rating agencies on obtaining a credit rating and may hit the bond markets as early as next year as it seeks to raise capital and increase leverage.

DCM bankers hope that Mexican lender Nafin’s planned green bond could be the first of many from the country, and that other development banks in Latin America will follow Mexico’s model.

Credit Suisse won praise from equity capital markets bankers this week for a neat two-step plan to raise Sfr6bn of new capital, as part of a complete new strategy for the bank, announced by CEO Tidjane Thiam in a marathon series of conference calls on Wednesday, writes Jon Hay.

The internationalisation of the Schuldschein market, Germany's answer to private placements, has been widely hailed, with foreign issuers and investors increasingly prominent. But even the banks that arrange the deals now include some surprising non-German names, writes Elly Whittaker.

Capital markets issuance from higher education institutions has surged since government funding dried up, challenging lending from the European Investment Bank, while more selective participation from private investors means that universities may struggle to keep investing.

The narrowing windows for public sector borrowers to clamber into were again in evidence this week, with several similar deals hitting the market at the same time. But unlike last week, every deal this week reached the pricing stage, write Jonathan Breen and Lewis McLellan.

The prospect of interest rates in Europe remaining low for a long time means that Uruguay is not likely to raise euro-denominated debt “in the very short term”, said a debt official from the country, but the sovereign is looking at the market as a way to continue to diversify its investor base.