Northeast Asia

China's listed companies are set to sell stock directly to European investors. The first listing of an A-share company on the China Europe International Exchange (Ceinex) in Frankfurt will happen by June this year. Investment banks have already been mandated, GlobalCapital Asia's sister publication GlobalRMB has reported.

Groupe BPCE issued ¥116.1bn ($1.04bn) of Samurai notes this week across six tranches, two of which were social bonds. But unlike with many socially responsible deals, the proceeds will go to clients rather than financing projects directly.

Mizuho Bank opened the Japanese Panda bond market on January 12, sharing the title of first issuer in the category with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG). But instead of aiming for a blockbuster transaction, Mizuho treaded carefully – raising just Rmb500m ($77m) from the debut deal.

Chinese issuers Peking University Founder Group, Bank of Communications Financial Leasing Co, Geely Automobile Holdings and Jinjiang International Holding are meeting investors this week ahead of planned dollar and euro bond sales.

Mizuho Financial Group has appointed Tatsufumi Sakai as its new president and group chief executive, succeeding Yasuhiro Sato, who is becoming the bank’s chairman.

Nomura has hired veteran banker Guy Smith as head of DCM and acquisition and leveraged finance for Asia ex-Japan, effective Monday.

China Hongqiao Group has opened books on a HK$6.2bn ($798m) top-up placement, in yet another Hong Kong equity block deal to be launched with a fixed price.

Huami Corp, backed by Chinese mobile internet and electronics brand Xiaomi, is eyeing the Nasdaq stock exchange for a $150m IPO of American Depository Shares (ADSs).

Two issuers from the Guangxi province of China, Guangxi Financial Investment Group Co and Guangxi Communications Investment Group Corp, are hitting the dollar bond market for funds.

China Jinmao Holdings Group raised HK$3.3bn ($425.8m) from a fixed price offering of new shares through a top-up placement last Friday.

The deputy governor of China’s central bank believes the country is punching below its weight on renminbi internationalisation, the Chinese banking watchdog stresses the need to prevent risk, and China Citic Bank International projects strong demand for cross-border RMB transactions in the first quarter.

Bank of Gansu Co has raised HK$5.9bn ($756.4m) after pricing its IPO at the midpoint of guidance, according to a banker on the deal.