Singapore

Singapore’s status as the go-to hub for Asia’s real estate investment trusts appears to be under some threat, with two Asian issuers taking their business to Hong Kong and Indonesia in recent weeks. But concerns that Singapore could lose its Reit crown are overblown — the asset class is set to remain well under its dominion.

Singapore-listed commodities trader Noble Group returned to the international bond market on Monday after a hiatus of nearly three years. Despite the continuous noise around the credit, investors appear to have put the company’s past behind them as they piled into the $750m deal.

Singapore-listed Ascott Residence Trust has kicked off a fully underwritten renounceable rights issue to raise S$442.7m ($313.7m), as it seeks to buy its first property in Frankfurt.

Natixis is rebuilding its DCM team in Asia Pacific following some high profile departures since last year.

Singapore-listed commodities company Noble Group, ICBC International and China SCE Property Holdings were out of the gates on Monday morning for new dollar outings, coming before a widely expected Federal Reserve rate hike this month.

A Singapore-based banker who worked on south and southeast Asian loan syndications for Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp has left, according to a source.

UBS’s co-head of global capital markets for Australasia Dane FitzGibbon is leaving the bank, according to sources close to the move.

Singapore-based agricultural and commodities firm Olam International added variety to the debt market this week with a $300m bond that had an unusual tenor, as analysts were left divided over the final pricing.

The heat is on for IPOs in south-east Asia, with banks staging charm offensives towards investors during pre-marketing.

The strength of the primary debt market in Asia shows no signs of abating, with a number of borrowers heading out on Thursday for fresh dollar fundraisings.

Beijing Properties (Holdings), China Everbright Bank and Olam International were vying for investors’ attention on Wednesday in what is a busy week for dollar issuance in Asia ex-Japan.

Singapore-based instant beverage and food producer Viz Branz Holdings has kicked of investor education for its potential S$300m ($213.7m) IPO, according to a banker close to the deal.