SGX, Nasdaq provide data on green, social and sustainability bonds in Asia-Pacific

BOND issuers in the Asia-Pacific can opt to showcase their green, social and sustainability (GSS) bonds to global investors, under a partnership between the Singapore Exchange and Nasdaq.

This will make available standardised environmental, social and governance (ESG) data covering areas such as pre-issuance frameworks and certifications as well as post-issuance allocation and impact.

The partnership is meant to make GSS bonds in the Asia-Pacific region more accessible and transparent, SGX said in a press statement on Tuesday evening.

"This aims to support bond investors in their due diligence, selection and monitoring, helping them make informed, data-driven investment decisions," the bourse operator added.

Global issuers can voluntarily publish key information and data on GSS bonds on Nasdaq's sustainable bond network.

The addition of SGX data to this platform expands the Nasdaq network to 650 issuers and about 6,500 bonds.

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SGX said its GSS bond data supports the financing of projects, including renewable energy, sustainable land use and clean transportation, as well as social and humanitarian causes.

More than half of GSS bonds in the Asia-Pacific are listed on SGX, with issues spanning diverse green and social themes.

Lee Beng Hong, head of fixed income, currencies and commodities at SGX, said the partnership with Nasdaq connects bond issues and investors in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.

He noted the importance of data in bridging investors with sustainable capital to issuers with high-quality projects. "More funds are being raised in Asia-Pacific to support sustainability goals," Mr Lee added.

Nasdaq's head of sustainable bond network, Ann-Charlotte Eliasson, said that leveraging the tie-up with SGX and the Singapore firm's "strong reach in the region" will enable the network to expand into the Asia-Pacific's "important and expanding market" for sustainable investment products.

Shares of SGX advanced 2.5 per cent or S$0.27 to close at S$10.98 on Tuesday.