The Asian high-yield bond market is poised to recover from one of the most challenging years in history, presenting opportunities for investors and issuers alike.
As the longest-established bank in China, Bank of China has always been mindful of “bearing great responsibility for what’s of vital importance for the nation”, consciously combining its own development with the destiny of the country, actively practicing the concept of green finance, establishing a successful green bond product system, giving full play to the advantages of globalisation and internationalisation, and effectively supporting relevant institutions to carry out green financing in domestic and foreign markets. By the end of November 2021, BOC’s domestic and overseas green bond businesses had achieved impressive results, topping their respective league tables. BOC underwrote 64 domestic green bonds in total, with an issuance volume of about Rmb106.9bn, ranking first among commercial banks; and underwrote a total of 35 overseas green bonds, with a volume of about US$19.5bn, ranking first among Chinese banks.
After Korea earned an AA rating back in 2012, its highest rated credits opened the path to a global and diversified investor base for Korean issuers.
Things are still far from normal. In fact, what was once deemed to constitute normality may never return. There are signs, however, that the world is beginning to emerge from the darkest days of the past 18 months, although there is no doubting it will be an uphill struggle.
When the European Investment Bank priced its first digital bond in April, it not only signified an inflection point in the digitalisation of the capital markets but represented another example of the bank’s commitment to developing the financial markets.
India is moving up a gear in the global bond markets as companies look offshore and investors embrace high-quality and sustainable assets.
Moving on: There can be little doubt as to the topic that was front and centre of most everyone’s minds over the past year. The coronavirus pandemic cast a lengthy shadow and dominated all walks of life in ways unthinkable in a pre-Covid world. Governments around the globe implemented various initiatives in attempts to mitigate its effects. And all this came at a tremendous financial cost, leading to fundraising on an unprecedented scale as support packages were put in place.
Australia’s easy-money policies are stoking demand for corporate bonds, especially from companies with a strong environmental or social story to tell.
