Sustainable Finance
Andean Borrowers Cut Through Volatility to Win Big at Bonds & Loans Latin America Awards
Despite a slowdown in some of the Andean region’s powerhouse economies and souring emerging market investor sentiment, many borrowers were unperturbed and moved into markets with inaugural, innovative transactions through much of last year. We take a closer look at some of the transactions originating from the region that won top prize at this year’s Bonds & Loans Latin America Awards.
17 Apr 2019
Fifty Shades of Green: How are Banks and Investors Approaching ESG?
The world isn’t the only thing heating up. As issues of governance and climate change continue to dominate headlines, financial institutions are facing growing pressure from governments and public opinion alike to integrate Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) considerations into day-to-day operations – in everything from how they lend or invest to how they run their operational facilities.
11 Apr 2019
CASE STUDY: Indonesia Dominates ESG and Islamic Finance Nexus with Dual-Tranche USD2bn Issue
The South East Asian sovereign returned to market with its second green sukuk issuance in 12 months. The dual tranche conventional/green sukuk issue saw USD7bn worth of orders from high quality accounts and tightened 30bp and 45bp inside the initial guidance.
10 Apr 2019
When it Comes to Green Bonds in Nigeria, Access Bank “Can’t Go it Alone”
Nigeria’s Access Bank became the first corporate in the country to place green bonds in the public market, but will the move inspire other borrowers to tap into emergent pools of ESG-conscious liquidity? Greg Jobome, Executive Director of Risk Management at Access Bank and one of the key project managers for the Bank’s recent transaction seems to think it will, but more work needs to be done to…
3 Apr 2019
The Growth of Sustainable Finance in MENA
The global green bond market has over the past five years grown from virtually nothing into a broad sustainability-linked fixed income asset class, paying financial dividends while tackling some of the world’s most pressing climate and sustainability-related challenges. As Middle Eastern governments redouble their efforts to diversify their energy sectors and wider economies, will 2019 be the…
14 Mar 2019
Customized Solutions, Investor Demand Key Drivers of ESG Growth
Last year was the first in a decade where the sustainable finance market failed to show significant growth, largely in line with broader slowdown in fixed income. But structural innovation is likely to continue driving this market forward, making it is an asset class that even the largest investors can’t ignore, according to experts participating with a roundtable hosted by Societe Generale.
7 Mar 2019
CASE STUDY: Al Dur Power & Water Company Secures USD1.34bn Refinancing Despites Headwinds
Following Al Dur Power & Water Company’s (Al Dur) debut project financing transaction in 2009, the project company returned to the financial markets last year to refinance its outstanding debt. Navigating difficult macroeconomic conditions, alongside broader EM volatility, Al Dur secured a complex USD1.3bn refinancing package from an assortment of national and international lenders.
26 Feb 2019
Interest Rate Uncertainty, Market Volatility Keeping India’s Green Bond Issuers at Bay
With its substantial renewable energy ambitions telegraphed for years, industry practitioners often cite India as a potential major driver for the development of the sustainable finance and green bond segments among its emerging market peers. We speak with Vinod Kothari, a Kolkata-based structured finance advisor about why green bond volumes in India are down year-on-year, and the segments…
27 Dec 2018
Green Bond Additionality: The Big Picture
Green bonds have been a phenomenon in recent years, with the market growing consistently at double digit rates, cheering environmental activists and bankers alike. But what has this astounding growth achieved and has it created additionality?
24 Dec 2018
MUFG: System for Incentivising Investors Needed for Climate Bonds Uptake
Asia remains one of the leading regions for climate bond issuance in emerging markets globally, driven by both strong political will to transition towards a cleaner economy and, more fundamentally, a deep need for long-term infrastructure investment. We speak with Shyam Saraf, Director, DCM at MUFG, about how Asia’s climate bond sector is evolving to tackle the infrastructure gap.
13 Dec 2018