UBS

The Federal Reserve backed away from its first rate rise in nearly a decade due to concerns about a weak global economy, with talks now moving to a potential hike at the end of the year. Market observers in Asia reckon it’s time to move away from the Fed and focus on concerns closer to home.

Paul Frankfurt, head of equity block trades EMEA at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, is leaving the bank to help set up a global markets operation at Anoa Capital, a Luxembourg-based boutique investment bank.

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) took the bond market by storm this week, printing a $2bn Basel III tier two offering, the first Chinese bank capital trade since May. Despite coming during a week dominated by speculation about the Federal Reserve’s decision on interest rates, ICBC still managed to meet its price and size targets, offering just a small new issue premium.

UBS is planning to raise senior debt at group level in what has been a busy year for the borrower.

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) took the bond market by storm this week, printing a $2bn Basel III tier two offering, the first Chinese bank capital trade since May. Despite coming during a week dominated by speculation about the Federal Reserve’s decision on interest rates, ICBC still managed to meet its price and size targets, offering just a small new issue premium.

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) opened books on Tuesday for a dollar tier two offering, taking advantage of the last issuance window before this week’s Federal Reserve meeting. The issuer is replicating the bullet structure used by Bank of China in its 2014 offering, a deal which saw a blowout response.

The International Swaps and Derivatives Association is likely to have to change its licensing practices as a result of a $1.9bn credit default swaps price fixing settlement by banks, according to a source familiar with the case.

Two insurance companies are meeting investors this week for tier two trades as the sector continues to beef up its capital ahead of the implementation of Solvency II in January 2016.

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China has mandated five banks to work on a US dollar-denominated Basel III tier two trade.

Korea Development Bank (KDB) staged a successful return to the international debt market on September 9, selling an SEC registered 10 year trade. The policy bank’s success is expected to encourage more Korean names to follow suit, but bankers are not necessarily expecting a rush of issuance.

A pair of Asian agencies have tackled the long end in dollars, but despite attracting big order books and setting spreads at the tight end of guidance, bankers stressed the deals should not be taken as a sign that the dollar market is back to full strength.

Asian bond issuers have finally decided to venture back into the market with a trio of investment grade names opening books to dollar deals. Export-Import Bank of China (Chexim), Shanghai Pudong Development Bank and Korea Development Bank are vying for attention in the first test of investor demand in three weeks.