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An unexpected sale of 117.1m non-voting News Corp preference shares hit the market yesterday (Thursday) through two lead arrangers, Citigroup/SSB and JP Morgan, which are also supported by Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs. The seller is WorldCom, and not Liberty Media, as was previously suggested. News of the issue surprised the market. However, confirmation came when News Corp yesterday announced it will issue to a subsidiary of WorldCom around 121.2m preferred limited voting ordinary shares worth $680m and will also pay WorldCom $250m. This satisfies obligations to WorldCom in connection with the unwinding of their former American Sky Broadcasting (AskyB) direct broadcast satellite joint venture.

The Korean government has awarded the mandate for the sale of state shares in listed Cho Hung Bank to Credit Suisse First Boston, JP Morgan and UBS Warburg. The deal is expected to be just the first in a series of equity issues from Korea's financial sector this year. Many deals are nearing launch as the government aims to sell off state assets and the private sector seeks to raise new capital while sentiment towards Korea and the country's corporate and financial sector restructuring is positive.

CNOOC, the Hong Kong listed unit of China National Offshore Corp, is set to kick off the roadshow for its debut $500m 10 year global bond today (Friday). With the transaction being the first from a Chinese corporate for almost 2-1/2 years and as such offering rare exposure to the WTO entrant nation, bankers expect a strong regional bid.

In a bizarre series of events since Monday, the apparent success of the recent recapitalisation of debt-laden Technology Resources Industries (TRI) has been thrown into doubt. On Monday, the Malaysian bourse said the stock would be listed on Wednesday. On Wednesday the exchange said the listing must be postponed pending further clarification. By yesterday (Thursday), an explanation was far from forthcoming. TRI issued a statement to the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange on Wednesday, which was released at 3.06 pm yesterday. It stated that the company's adviser, Malaysian International Merchant Bankers (MIMB), had received a letter from the KLSE deferring the listing of the new shares "until further notice pending clarification".

Deutsche Bank has built on the success of the jumbo new share issue it underwrote last year for DBS Holdings by winning a new deal to underwrite and place out S$300m of Sembcorp Industries shares. Whereas Sembcorp's efforts to raise S$300m through JP Morgan last March ended in failure, this deal is supported by more positive market conditions and a hard underwriting commitment from the German bank. Sembcorp announced its 2001 results on Wednesday and said it would place up to S$300m worth of new shares. The company's profits were up 51% to S$176.1m for the financial year ended December 31.

Indonesia Indonesia's real GDP growth was 3.3% in 2001. While this fell short of the government's 3.5% target, it did beat most Asian countries. Analysts said that the country's fourth quarter growth alone was 3.4% quarter on quarter. They added that exports and fixed investment were disappointing at the end of 2001, although improving global demand should help exports this year.

Australia Jupiters, a Queensland-based gaming company, said stakeholder BI Gaming Corp has sold 24m shares, or half its holding in Jupiters, to investors at A$4.80 a share.

General Property Trust (GPT) embarked on a roadshow for a A$250m-A$300m bond issue this week, continuing the trend of property trust borrowers accessing a relatively cautious Australian bond market. The A+ rated issuer is aiming to launch a transaction with a maturity of five to seven years. Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) was sole arranger for the roadshow, and is likely to be sole lead for the deal.

International Business Machines (IBM) became the first borrower of the year to successfully access the Samurai market this week. The US corporate overcame negative sentiment towards offshore borrowers to launch a ¥26bn three year transaction. Nomura and Daiwa SMBC were joint bookrunners, with Credit Suisse First Boston, Merrill Lynch, Mizuho Securities, Nikko Salomon Smith Barney and Tokyo Mitsubishi Securities as co-managers.

PT Medco Energi is set to be the first Indonesian corporate to return to the international bond market since 1997. The oil company this week began a roadshow for a $150m five year Reg S issue - a transaction that will offer investors a rare opportunity to gain exposure to the republic, which has laboured under economic problems since the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

Denmark Sole mandated arranger LB Kiel has launched the Eu50m five year facility for Forstaedernes Bank into general syndication.