China drives region's loan volumes

摘要

Syndicated lending in Asia-Pacific, excluding Japan, reached US$206.6bn in the first six months of the year, backed by bulk borrowings from Hong Kong blue chips and Chinese conglomerates. The first-half volume was a slight 2.4% drop from the same period last year, but Hong Kong-targeted syndications hit a first-half record at US$44.8bn as the special administrative region's top-tier names raised several jumbo financings and Chinese companies flocked across the border for cheaper funds as liquidity tightened back home. "Greater China has been the story over the last 12 months and that is going to continue," said Phil Lipton, HSBC's head of loan syndications for Asia-Pacific. "The loan market is in very good shape ... there is plenty of liquidity. It is a good time to borrow for corporates."