Singapore

The Spac phenomenon in the US appears to be reaching a tipping point, after whetting the appetite of investors over the past year and offering juicy fees to investment banks. As the market in Asia gets ready for take off, firms should be wary of the obstacles they may face.

The Singapore Exchange has hired a senior Goldman Sachs banker to lead its global sales and origination business.

Frasers Logistics & Commercial Trust has raised S$335.8m ($253.05m) after pricing a placement of new units at the top of the marketed range.

Frasers Logistics & Commercial Trust kicked off a one day follow-on offering of new stock on Monday, aiming to raise at least S$299.8m ($225.3m).

Singapore real estate investment trust Mapletree Industrial Trust has raised S$823.3m ($618.3m) from a sale of new units to fund data centre acquisitions, with the deal receiving a warm welcome from investors despite not being very well flagged.

Covered bonds issued this week by United Overseas Bank and Raiffeisen-Landesbank Steiermark showed that, for the first time this year, sentiment has turned bearish and suggested that more careful consideration of pricing, timing and maturity is now required.

Singapore Airlines is planning to raise S$6.2bn ($4.6bn) from a rights offering of mandatory convertible bonds.

Singapore has set up a new task force to give a fresh push to its green financing ambitions, rolling out initiatives and putting more focus on climate-related disclosures from financial institutions. Morgan Davis reports.

United Overseas Bank managed to extend its curve with €750m of eight year funding in the covered bond market on Tuesday at levels were well inside its previous blowout deal issued in November. However, bankers off the mandate gave the deal mixed reviews.

Singapore’s food and agri-business Olam has raised a $1bn loan to support its acquisition of US spices and seasoning company Olde Thompson.

United Overseas Bank and Raiffeisen-Landesbank Steiermark (RFLBST) have mandated leads for covered bond deals amid a weakening spread environment.

GLP, a Singapore-based logistics company, joined the flurry of green bonds hitting the market on Monday, with a subordinated perpetual note.