The Asset Plus

HKEX tightens ESG disclosure rules for listed companies Corporate reporting of ESG activities expected to rise

HONG KONG Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) is responding to increasing demand for information disclosure on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) a ...

Peering into 2019 Much of what happens in Asia in the next 12 months will depend on China’s ability to stabilize the slowdown in its economy that is now forecast to be the slowest since 1990. The rest of the region, ho

For investors, the good news is 2018 is behind us. The bad news? 2019 is just getting underway. If you are a movie buff, what to expect in the coming ...

Market uncertainty dents fees accrued by investment bankers Investment bank fees fell during 2018, with Chinese banks by far the biggest fee earners for underwriting bonds, while foreign banks outperformed in the other asset classes

Investment banks did not wrestle with just volatile market conditions in 2018, they also had to deal with shrinking fees across different asset classe ...

Pakistan cancels Chinese power project Reports that the Rahim Yar Khan power project is being cancelled come as the Pakistani prime minister conducts a review of projects deemed to have political undertones

The Pakistani government has informed China that it wishes to cancel the 1,320MW Rahim Yar Khan power project, one of the major power generation proje ...

China and EU jostle for geopolitical influence As EU budgets buckle, China is undoubtedly attempting to up its influence in the Black Sea and Western Balkans, and a new Romanian presidency aims to prioritize the EU’s agenda

Amongst Romania’s priorities are advancing the enlargement process of the EU in order to ensure more internal and external security, promoting more ...

Women who make waves in Asian finance in 2019 Women now play a prominent role in corporate life, many climb the ladder to reach the top of their profession, and the financial sector is full of achievers and smart players

Across Asia women hold numerous leadership roles in banks, insurers, fintechs, financial services firms and regulators. And each year they are making ...

Stiff competition for best advisers and banks Many players made a strong case as Best Issuer, some advisers set benchmarks for their clients, and what does it take to win the Best Bank and Best ESG Bank awards? Please join our poll below

With rising interest rates and heightened US-China trade tensions, 2018 could be classed as a defining year for a number of global and regional banks, ...

Belt and Road needs an image makeover The Belt and Road has spawned much negative sentiment, so a new approach could be to internationalize its engineering, spread debt ownership and diversify its investor base

It’s probably too early to describe the Belt and Road initiative as a public relations disaster; that call could be made when, and only when, the pr ...

Year of the Pig 2019 The year 2019 is a year of uncertainty, a year when you may find that financial market volatility is a constant. This year is also not a good year for products derived from farming.

The year 2019 is a year of uncertainty, a year when you may find that financial market volatility is a constant. This year is also not a good year for ...

ETF offering in Asia ramps up As many asset classes suffer poor performances, special products are being introduced to the Asia market, such as ETFs, to find extra yield whilst suppressing volatility

For example, institutions across the globe and corporates in Asia are facing the issue of holding huge amounts of excess cash balances in their portfo ...

Blockchain yet to charm CFOs and treasurers Blockchain has yet to convince many treasury professionals, though the demonstration effect of increased bank collaboration and commercial applications may alter opinion

Despite the numerous published studies and articles touting the traceability and security of using blockchain in trade finance, treasury professionals ...

Fintech in Greater Bay Area moves up a gear Increased connectivity via the Greater Bay Area is forging closer cooperation with the mainland, allowing Hong Kong to harness regional talent and position as a fintech hub

As the Greater Bay Area (GBA) gradually tightens the links between Hong Kong and mainland China, financial institutions and technology companies in th ...

Asia’s diverse blockchain ecosystem Adoption of blockchain, cryptocurrency gains traction in Asia

The momentum within Asia’s diverse blockchain ecosystem was well documented during 2018, characterised by a thriving jobs market, the hosting of a r ...

Celebrating leadership: Henry Sy, Sr, 94 Henry Sy, Sr, founder of the SM group, passed away on the 19th of January 2019 at the age of 94. The Asset shares insights of meetings with him and how he climbed to the top of Philippine business

Henry Sy, Sr, founder of the SM group in the Philippines, passed away on the 19th of January 2019 at the age of 94. The Asset shares insights of meeti ...

Tokenization seeks to be more than a gamble As 2018 proved a bumper year for ICOs, close-knit industry looks to introduce new investors

Against all odds, initial coin offerings (ICOs) continued to flourish in 2018. Start-up ventures across the world raised more than US$15 billion thro ...

CGN invests in three renewable projects in Brazil The acquisition by CGN of US$783 million worth of solar and wind power plants in Brazil marks a deepening of the Chinese presence in the country's renewable energy sector

Enel said in a statement that it viewed the Brazilian renewable market as rich in opportunities, and that it wanted to keep growing in the country, in ...

How technology is driving the era of open finance Digital technology is promoting the transformation of financial service models, ushering the financial industry into the era of open finance from the closed service system in the past

The financial industry always stands out as the pioneer of cutting-edge digital technology, which shows different characteristics at different stages. ...

Bigger does not mean better when managing wealth With the growing burden of regulation, independent wealth managers face considerable entry barriers and competitive pressures, so success comes only to those who add value

Instead of striking out on their own in the current environment, experienced bankers, frustrated with in-house politics or pressure to sell proprietar ...

The Asset January 2019