Standard Chartered

Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the largest industrial company in the UAE outside of the oil and gas sectors, has kicked off the year with a $6.5bn term loan facility, as market conditions remain “borrower friendly”.

BFI Finance Indonesia has returned to the loan market for a $55m three year facility.

Chinese automobile retailer Zhejiang Geely Holding Group has returned for a €1.4bn dual-tranche facility to refinance a bridge loan raised last year for its purchase of a share in Swedish truck maker AB Volvo.

Asia’s sustainability market took a big step forward this week when Kookmin Bank priced a Basel III-compliant tier two bond with a sustainability label — the first of its kind in the region. Morgan Davis reports.

Are Asian investors ready to embrace duration again? Oil India and Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) proved there is clear demand, rolling out a pair of 10 year bonds on Tuesday. SCB also added a five year tranche.

Fosun International, China Grand Automotive Services and China Molybdenum Co rushed out to the offshore bond market on Monday, helping kick-start a rush of issuance before Chinese New Year.

‘Tier two’ and ‘sustainability’ are labels that have never previously been combined in Asia. At least not until this week, when Kookmin Bank raised $450m from a Basel III-compliant deal.

CDC, a development financial institution, has hired a former regional head of global banking at Standard Chartered to mobilise investment in developing countries.

Egypt is revamping its capital markets presence, lining up a debut in the green bond market, a first deal in an Asian currency, and dollar and euro benchmarks all by the end of its fiscal year in June.

Chongqing Banan Economic Park Development and Construction Co made its inaugural appearance in the international bond market with a Singapore dollar transaction, raising S$150m ($110m).

Singapore’s Interplex Holdings has returned for a $400m five year loan to refinance a 2016 borrowing that supported its acquisition by Baring Private Equity Asia.

Logistics real estate developer ESR Cayman turned to the Singapore dollar market this week to bring down its cost of funding, adding S$150m ($110m) to its coffers.