News from asianbankingandfinance.net
The best of asianbankingandfinance.net Bank investment in Asia on the rise
CARDS & PAYMENTS
most read
Hong Leong Bank unveils new Wise credit card
CASH MANAGEMENT
Here’s all you need to know about BofAML’s new CashPro Accelerate It’s now available to treasury management clients in 12 markets in Asia Pacific. Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Transaction Services recently announced the launch of the CashPro Accelerate reporting solution which is already available in Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. RETAIL BANKING
OCBC Bank suffered from margin pressure Pressure was evident in Singapore, Indonesia, and China. According to Barclays, while OCBC’s life insurance and wealth management business was strong in 4Q, the banking business suffered from margin pressure and lower marketrelated fee income.
border RMB settlement reached RMB948bn, a 30% market share. Currently, 12% of the bank’s international settlements are in RMB and 15% of its clients have chosen to use RMB as a settlement currency. ISLAMIC BANKING
Malaysia to reform Islamic banking industry Goal is to double Islamic banking’s market share to 40%. Malaysia is implementing regulatory reforms to help its Islamic banking industry expand further. The government originally aimed for 20% market share for Islamic banks by 2010.
TRADE FINANCE
3 reasons why cross-border RMB business is lucrative for BOC trading Its offshore settlement reached RMB948bn, a 30% market share. According to Barclays, BOC has a leading position in cross-border RMB business in China. In Jan-Oct 2012, the bank’s offshore cross6 ASIAN BANKING AND FINANCE | MARCH 2013
BRANCH BANKING
China Minsheng to do investment banking in Hong Kong Internationalization of the renminbi fuels move. Privately owned bank China Minsheng Banking Corporation will open an investment banking unit in Hong Kong after receiving approval from its board of directors. Minsheng is the first non-government bank in China and is based in Beijing. The move to open a Hong Kong branch will take advantage of the wider acceptance of the renminbi in global business.
According to a statement, with Hong Leong Wise Credit Card launched in association with Visa International, consumers now have a choice of 10% cash back benefit from as many as 10 reward categories. “With the Hong Leong Wise Credit Card we wanted to offer our customers the flexibility of choosing categories that will give them maximum rewards any time, every day. By giving customers the power of choice, this card could help them towards saving money every time they spend on the card by providing cash back,” said Ms Moey Tan, Hong Leong Bank’’s Chief Operating Officer, Personal Financial Services.
RETAIL BANKING
Singapore banks’ loan to deposit ratio at its highest level since 1999 Check out what led LDR to rise to 96.6% in January. According to Barclays Research, the MAS monthly monetary statistics showed a rebound in foreign currency corporate loan growth after a slow 2H12, driving system loans to rise by 3% m/m in January.
2012. The non-performing loan ratio, however, inched downward by 0.01 percentage point to 0.95%. In January, China’s banks loaned out US$172 billion, the largest monthly total in the last three years. CARDS AND PAYMENT
Zeus Trojan returns to victimize Japanese banks
The Trojan that began stealing banking information in 2007 reLENDING & CREDIT surfaces in Japan. Zeus was recently spotted Loan growth in Malaysia to slow to during multiple assaults targeting consumers 11% in 2013F in Japan, said Japan’s Rate of compression is National Police Agency. likely to ease as well. The most recent verNomura expects loan sion of Zeus hit five growth to moderate to large Japanese banks around 11% in 2013F with attacks resemgiven their base-case real bling the previous verGDP growth forecast of sions, said security firm 4.3%. LENDING & CREDIT Symantec.
Chinese banks’ bad loans jumped by 39% Stood at US$69 billion in
BRANCH BANKING
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China to open in