The number of private debt funds in the Asia-Pacific region grew by 22 per cent to 94 at the end of 2023 compared with a year before as financial institutions bet on the flourishing market.

Hong Kong looks to help economies mitigate risks from natural disasters and has partnered with the World Bank in further developing the market for insurance-linked securities.

The bank has ‘quite an active pipeline’ of loans based on such collateral owned by ultra-high-net-worth individuals, who are often asset-rich but liquidity-constrained, private banker says.

Chinese local government entities have carried the mantle of cornerstone investors in first-time stock offerings in Hong Kong in the past two years as foreign investors shun deals. Their outsize role could work against the city’s capital market, market experts say.

The plan would next be submitted to the relevant ministries in each of the 21 member economies of Apec before appearing on the agenda of the Apec Leaders’ summit in Lima in the week of November 10.

Tanoto, who runs a US$35 billion paper and edible-oil empire, is raising his bets on China with a new investment, while closing out the privatisation of tissue producer Vinda International at the same time.

Some analysts have expressed concern that buyers may hesitate to purchase homes should the rate cut not materialise this year.

Hong Kong’s accounting watchdog will investigate PwC for alleged auditing fraud related to bankrupt Chinese developer China Evergrande Group, vowing enforcement action.

It is only a matter of time before the currently depressed market stages a rebound, according to Fred Hu of private-equity firm Primavera Capital.

While worries about Chinese consumers and government debt are making investors cautious, attractive investment opportunities exist, according to asset managers from Pimco and Amundi at a summit in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is building an arsenal to assist the world with raising funds for managing losses from natural disasters, the Insurance Authority said. It is discovering more issuers, investors and data, as well as cultivating its modelling capabilities and talent.

HSBC plans to host another global investment summit in the city early next year after this year’s sell-out inaugural conference drew 3,500 attendees, an overwhelming success in proof that ‘Hong Kong is back’.

Hong Kong has entered the next phase of its digital-assets development, which is to achieve benchmark liquidity in the primary and secondary markets, according to HSBC’s global head of digital assets strategy.

The retirement scheme earned HK$28.5 billion (US$3.6 billion) last quarter, or HK$6,000 per scheme member, according to MPF Ratings. Funds focused on Japanese and US equities were the best performers.

In addition to investment and fundraising opportunities, the region’s access to talent, low taxes, reasonable cost of living and visa schemes are draws, participants say.

Alibaba Group spent US$4.8 billion to repurchase its own shares in Hong Kong and New York last quarter, the most since late 2021, to boost returns to shareholders.

China’s financial regulators could continue to lower financing costs as a means to shore up confidence, according to CCB chief financial officer Sheng Liurong.

Lack of interest has more to do with lacklustre IPO activity than the reform per se, which will draw more interest when listings pick up, analysts say.

LGT Group, the world’s largest royal family-owned private banking and asset management group, sees private equity continuing to be attractive to high-net-worth clients, especially in China.

The chairman of the conglomerate IMC Pan Asia Alliance Group has called for family businesses to promote sustainability, which he believes will benefit their succession planning and business values.

HSBC Gold Token, which will be available on the lender’s online banking and mobile app, is the first such retail product to be issued by a bank, according to HSBC, as the government pushes for more digital assets to be rolled out for public use.

While PE firms operating in Asia are confident in their core business, they are eyeing alternative assets such as private credit and infrastructure to generate alpha, executives say at the Milken Institute symposium.

Government plans to establish a clear pathway on sustainability reporting for businesses in Hong Kong this year, a move that is ‘essential’ to ‘reinforcing Hong Kong’s leading position on the international sustainable-finance map’, says financial services secretary.

Japan overtook China as the biggest private equity market in Asia-Pacific last year, becoming the only country to see an increase in deal activity, according to Bain & Company.

Wheelock Properties sold 120 units of the first batch of 368 units on offer at Seasons Place on Saturday.

Samsonite is exploring a dual listing plan for its shares, a surprise move that tempered market speculation about a potential offer to take the luggage maker private.

Chinese companies seeking to expand overseas and Asian SMEs with ESG potential hold a lot of potential for private credit providers, ADM Capital founder Christopher Botsford says.

City’s biggest bank and start-up hub aim to build ‘international fintech corridor’ to further Hong Kong’s goal of being an international hub for such technology.

Private credit lenders are capitalising on businesses’ thirst for generating liquidity from their property assets in Hong Kong, banking on the city’s sound legal system.