Asia's bond markets are the largest outside the US and Europe. National markets vary enormously but most are growing rapidly, driven by huge pools of onshore liquidity and by the desire of Asian companies to plan and fund long-term. And local banks are taking an ever bigger slice of the business.
Reinventing the Bond Markets
Investors savour dim sum market
February 16, 2011China is using the Hong Kong-based 'dim sum' market to develop its offshore renminbi bond sector and push the local currency onto the international stage. There is a huge pool of liquidity keen to invest and although it must face the typical hurdles of any nascent market, the signs are good
Africa engages the bond markets
February 22, 2011Despite a sovereign default and the impact of rolling popular uprisings across north Africa, many are increasingly hopeful about the prospects for Africa's debt markets, as improving economic conditions and growing international appetite look set to underpin further new issuance.
Defaults down and volumes up, but some worries remain
February 23, 2011The boom in high-yield markets has continued into 2011 and money continues to flow into emerging market debt - leading some to talk about bubbles and a return to bad habits. Elsewhere in the debt markets, the financial crisis and its aftermath are still being felt.
Europe lags US securitisation revival
February 22, 2011The European market for commercial mortgage-backed securities seems to be struggling to reinvent itself in time to handle a looming wall of maturities