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December First Week Roundup of International and GCC Finance News

Hong Kong Chief Executive on U.S. Sanctions, Saudi energy minister says OPEC+ new deal ‘mature’, New Energy Giants Are Renewable Companies.

Hong Kong Chief Executive on U.S. Sanctions

Read more at Bloomberg

Even China’s largest state-run banks operating in Hong Kong have had to comply to preserve their access to crucial dollar funding.

Lam told Hong Kong International Business Channel. “I’m using cash every day, for all the things. I have piles of cash at home because the government is paying me cash for my salary because I don’t have a bank account.”

BOE Splits Between Insiders and Outsiders Over Subzero Rates

Read more at Bloomberg

Governor Andrew Bailey, the public face of the institution, has sounded similar notes, wondering if computer systems can handle negative figures.

Jonathan Haskel has also cited research showing the policy works elsewhere, while Gertjan Vlieghe has said going below zero isn’t counterproductive.

If the split does harden between the two groups, the impression of an institution shunning the views of outsiders could become sensitive for the BOE, which has been accused of “groupthink” and being too conservative.

Saudi energy minister says OPEC+ new deal ‘mature’

> Read more at Arabnews

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman affirmed that there is no disagreement between oil producers, describing this disagreement as rumours.

New Energy Giants Are Renewable Companies: Iberdrola, Enel, NextEra, Orsted

Read more at Bloomberg

These four companies—Enel, Iberdrola, NextEra Energy and Orsted—prioritized the building or buying of clean-power plants when those assets were still considered alternative and expensive.

China has also shifted its biggest state-run energy companies toward renewables. In 2017, it formed China Energy Investment Corp. by merging two state-owned giants.

Other big renewables players include Brookfield Renewable Partners, whose portfolio includes 7,900 megawatts of hydro and 4,700 megawatts of wind, and RWE AG, whose renewables unit is planning to invest up to 5 billion euros ($6 billion) until 2022 on renewables and storage technologies.

Blackstone Buys $7.5 Billion Credit Manager for Quant Prowess

Read more at Bloomberg

The investing titan acquired technology-driven credit investing firm DCI, which oversees about $7.5 billion in assets.

The use of quantitative strategies to aid investment decisions has proved notoriously difficult in the market for trading company debt, and many firms are in the early stages of using proprietary models to win an edge over their peers.

DCI has developed a niche platform that uses inputs such as balance-sheet data, leverage and equity-market performance to develop a risk-of-default model that managers lean on to make investment decisions.

Saudi Arabia’s Amkest Group signs deal with US green energy firm

Read more at Arabnews

Commenting on the partnership, Scott Poulter, PGTK’s CEO, said: “Saudi Arabia under its Vision 2030 strategic framework, which calls for 9.5 GW of the Kingdom’s energy to be supplied through renewables by 2030, is set to undergo rapid growth.”

JPMorgan Doubling Singapore Private Bankers for Rich Chinese

Read more at Bloomberg

James Wey, the new head of Southeast Asia private banking said “With rapid wealth creation in China, there is a need for insightful advice around how to manage the new-found wealth. Singapore is popular among the world’s rich to park funds, buy a property and set up family offices. The wealthy, not just from China, but all over the world, view the country as a stable hub.”

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