New Introduction to the Chinese Finance Market

 

China may be launching an exciting new plan for the finance market – junk-bonds.  The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) has been in meetings with executives from the various brokerage houses and discussed having a market for high-yield bonds.

Zhou Ruanfan, a senior vice president from the Pengyuan Credit Rating Co. Ltd. Was quoted by the China Business News as saying that CSRC has already drafted rules for the bonds. These bonds would offer higher yields and more risk than the typical investment-grade corporate bonds that are already offered.

Those in the know agree that a high-yield bond market will help to support China’s economic growth by offering financing to smaller firms, as Yin Jianfegn explained.  As Yin said,

"Rating agencies will gain, underwriters will gain, companies will gain, and investors may gain as well.”

However, Yin warned that the junk-bond market won’t transform the financial market overnight.  As Yin said, "It would be unrealistic to expect the junk-bond market to make a fundamental change in China's bond market structure.”

 

New Year Spending Up With Year of the Dragon

China’s week-long Lunar New Year is always good for the financial sector – and this year was no exception.  The retail sector saw a 16.2% surge year on year to 470 billion yuan ($67.87 billion) during the New Year holiday recently. Consumers were seen to enjoy purchases on food, wine and clothes.

The commerce minister reported that sales on clothes was 18.7%, jewelry rose 16.4% and food rose 16.2%, according to a statement that was posted on the ministry website on Saturday.

The peak travel period, from January 8th, 2012 to February 16th was also supposed to be very good for business.  Chinese people typically travel to be with family and friends during the holiday period. Trips on trains, planes and boats were expected to reach 3.2 billion during the height of the travel period, creating a 9.1% increase from last year.