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Practice Area Articles

Securities and Capital Markets Global Outlook

December 13, 2020

By Paul Hastings Professional

Securities and Capital Markets Global Outlook

How can our clients manage the risks and uncertainties in today’s shifting geopolitical landscape while pursuing the opportunities created by these times of change? Our partners share their insights on what to watch for as the second half of 2019 picks up speed.

The Rise of Project Bonds in Latin America

In our video, Cathleen McLaughlin discusses how project bonds can be an innovative solution for clients’ financing needs. She takes a closer look at the growing use of project bonds in Latin America and the advantages they offer clients.

United States: The New U.S. Dollar LIBOR Alternative

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Joyce Xu

Joyce Xu and colleagues examine recent communications from the Alternative Reference Rates Committee on the use of the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) as the preferred alternative to the U.S. dollar LIBOR—and what this means for our clients.

Read more here and here.

Asia: Hong Kong IPO Market Keeps Growing

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Vincent Wang

We have seen the Hong Kong IPO market starting to grow, with a total of 50 listings completed in the first four months of 2019. Although this is less than the 77 listings in the first four months of 2018, the total IPO fundraising in the first four months of 2019 amounted to HK$32.8 billion, an increase over the same period of 2018, during which IPO fundraising totalled HK$24.0 billion.

This trend shows a general recovery of the market and overall improvement in listing applicants. Industry-wise, biotech and TMT continue to be the most active areas. The Hong Kong Exchange held a summit in May to encourage innovative, technology-driven companies to list in Hong Kong.

In the meantime, the market has also seen a growing number of traditional industry enterprises launching or completing IPO applications, including banks and real estate and infrastructure companies. This trend is driven by these companies’ need to raise capital and gain access to overseas markets, as well as their drive to become more competitive by adopting modern company governance structures.

Attracting further listing applicants from diversified industries and with track records of strong financial performance will indeed bring more confidence to the market. Currently, we have a diverse portfolio of IPO matters, in terms of industry, which we expect will be listed in the second half of 2019, with a strong flow of new matters just started or about to be started this year. We have also seen that the overall profile of our matter portfolio generally aligns with these larger market trends.

Europe: Standing Still is Not An Option

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Edward Holmes

The “conclusion” of the Brexit process this fall and the recent European elections—which bring in a new slate of leaders (TBD)—will prolong regulatory uncertainty. EU efforts to form a capital markets union remain short of conclusion. European companies are twice as dependent on bank finance as the U.S., underlining the importance of more efficiency and consistency in capital raising. NPLs are high, deal-making value low, and protectionism growing. But standing still is not an option. There is plenty of dry powder available; greater clarity in the fall may see a deal resurgence.

Highlights of Our Recent Client Successes

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US$2 Billion

Advised Sigma, one of the largest branded refrigerated foods companies in the world, on its international bond offering and acquisition financing.

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US$1.64 Billion

Advised Credit Suisse as global coordinator and Credit Suisse, Banorte, BBVA Bancomer, BTG Pactual, Citibanamex, Inbursa and Santander as initial purchasers in Grupo Aeroportuario de la Ciudad de Mexico (GACM)’s Fibra-E offering on the Mexican stock exchange, only the second to price in Mexico in 2018.

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US$900 Million

Advised Trinidad Petroleum Holdings Limited, an integrated national oil and gas company owned by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, on its refinancing of senior secured notes originally issued by Petrotrin together with a dual-tranche loan facility.

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US$750 Million

Advised Goldman Sachs, Citi and BBVA on Televisa’s SEC-registered offering of its 5.250% Senior Notes due 2049.