DBS makes it into the Asian bond market big time

Singapore

DBS Bank has finally made it into the big table in Asia's surging bond market, in a field dominated by the bulge bracket Western banks. It is one of two Asian banks in the top 10 Asia ex-Japan G3 (US dollar, euro and yen) league table, the other being Bank of China which is the world's fourth-largest bank by assets.

Bank of China ranks fourth in the league table, not surprising given that Chinese issuers make up some 70 per cent of Asia's bond market. Year-to-date Chinese G3 deals totalled US$196 billion, some 71 per cent of the Asia ex-Japan G3 US$275 billion issuance. The top three players are old China hands - HSBC, Citi and Standard Chartered - with 8.38 per cent, 6.52 per cent and 5.92 per cent market share, respectively.