Standard Chartered

Haitong International Securities has returned to the loan market for a HK$13.8bn ($1.7bn) refinancing led by a 16-strong group of mandated lead arrangers and bookrunners.

The Republic of the Philippines opened the bond market for Asian sovereign issuers in 2019 with a $1.5bn outing, making efforts to boost its engagement with Chinese investors and paying just a small double-digit premium for the deal.

Standard Chartered has hired two loans syndicate bankers, in Hong Kong and Shanghai respectively, according to a source close to the move.

The Republic of the Philippines opened books for a dollar-denominated 10 year bond on Monday morning, making it the first Asian sovereign to visit the international debt market in 2019.

Asian issuers are setting the stage for their fundraisings nice and early into the New Year, with South Korea’s Hanwha Total Petrochemical Co announcing a bond mandate on Wednesday morning.

The Middle East has been fuelling business in the CEEMEA bond and loan markets for the last 12 months. That looks set to persist in 2019, when the region’s big hitters are expected to come with multi-billion dollar financing needs to both markets. Michael Turner and Francesca Young report.

Chinese property companies are pushing their fund-raising for 2018 to the bitter end – with sometimes surprising results. Cifi Holdings scored with a larger-than-expected $400m bond on Monday, while Redsun Properties Group sold a $200m tap.

Wuhan Financial Holdings Group Co made its dollar market debut on Monday, raising $142m from a three year club-style deal.

The CEEMEA bond market has been shaken up in 2018. With some of the major issuers out of action, the Middle East has come into its own and heading the charge is Standard Chartered, which enjoyed a breakout year in the region.

UK-listed Ophir Energy has amended and extended its reserves-based lending facility, as a surge of end of year deals continue to work their way through the market.

Anta Sports Products has mandated six banks for a €2.2bn loan to back the €4.6bn acquisition of Finnish sports brand Amer Sports Oyj.

After its successful debut in the Chinese ABS market, Genius Auto Finance, the joint venture between Geely Automobile Holdings and BNP Paribas Personal Finance, scored an equally popular follow-up deal at an even tighter price.