South Korea

South Korea’s KEB Hana Bank has gone live with the first international bond since its merger, launching a dollar deal on Wednesday morning.

Doosan Group exited from Korea Aerospace Industries this month via a block, which in a move away from traditional sell-downs in Asia, was executed as a private placement. Privately placed blocks appear to be emerging as a new solution for deals during tough times — and it’s an approach that other South Korean vendors should replicate.

Export-Import Bank of Korea (Kexim) is gearing up to sell its first Panda bond in 2016. The policy lender is considering the asset class due to its attractive pricing when compared with offshore renminbi bonds.

The drop in offshore RMB (CNH) deposits in Hong Kong, and the further tightening of CNH liquidity due to the intervention of the Chinese central bank, is being touted as examples of how investors are ready to sell out of RMB assets. But a glance at liquidity trends across other RMB hubs reveals that the picture may be more nuanced.

South Korea’s Kookmin Bank has selected four banks to run a potential return to the covered bond market, but a source at the issuer said that due to unfavourable market conditions, there’s a possibility that the deal will not materialise.

STIC Investment sold down a W121bn ($99.5m) block in South Korean defence firm LIG Nex1 on Thursday, with the trade proving irresistible to investors amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in the country.

In this round-up, China's RMB trade settlement touches a new high, Hong Kong RMB clearing grew by 30% in 2015, South Korea's RMB deposits shrank by 75% over the year, Singapore plans closer cross-border RMB co-operation with China, and several Belt and Road initiatives were announced. Plus, a recap of GlobalRMB's top stories this week.

Jabez Private Equity Fund I offloaded the remainder of its holdings in South Korea’s Hyundai Securities Co on January 7, fetching W115bn ($96m) from the fixed price offering.

Doosan Group sold the third Asian block of the year this week and, in an unusual approach, opted for a private placement. If markets remain volatile, bankers predict many more of the region’s blocks may follow suit. Jonathan Breen reports.

Korea Midland Power Co (Komipo) bagged $300m from new 5.5 year notes that were four times subscribed on January 13. The Aa2/AA-/AA- rated borrower offered investors something of a safe haven play amid the recent volatility, with strong demand allowing the issuer to print the new bond with little premium.

Asia’s primary dollar bond market has seesawed since the start of the year, with paralysis one day and a flood of deals the next. This has caused market participants to scramble to come up with different strategies to navigate the market, writes Narae Kim.

STIC Investment launched a W121bn ($99.5m) sale of shares in Korean defence company LIG Nex1 on Thursday evening, confident they could cover the block with domestic investors.