The most read financial stories in S&P Global Market Intelligence's Asia-Pacific coverage include HKEX's potential merger with LSE, while editors' picks feature Asia-Pacific banks post quarterly rise in Basel III leverage ratios.
Most read
1. Data Dispatch Asia-Pacific: Potential HKEX-LSE merger would create global powerhouse
A potential combination of Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Ltd. and London Stock Exchange Group PLC would create the world's largest financial exchange group in terms of revenues, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data. HKEX repeatedly stressed that China's regulators would have no role in the London operations if the deal were to go ahead.
2. Report: Top insurers eye Aviva's Singapore, Vietnam businesses
Allianz Group, Nippon Life Insurance Co., MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings Inc. and Sun Life Financial Inc. are among the companies that are looking to acquire the Singapore and Vietnam businesses of Aviva PLC for a combined deal value of between $2 billion and $2.5 billion, Reuters reported.
3. Report: Australia's Westpac eyes life insurance unit sale
Westpac Banking Corp. is mulling a sale of its life insurance business. The bank has received some interest and is in preliminary discussions, Reuters reported.
4. Tokio Marine agrees to unit's management buyout
Tokio Marine Capital Co. Ltd.'s management team will acquire the private equity fund manager from Tokio Marine Holdings Inc. subsidiary Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co. Ltd. and change its name to T Capital Partners Co. Ltd.
5. Report: Bank of Japan considers deeper negative rates
The Bank of Japan is studying ways of cutting rates further into negative territory while keeping yields on long- and short-term bonds from narrowing too much, Reuters reported.
Editors' picks
1. Data Dispatch Asia-Pacific: Major Asia-Pacific banks diverge on Basel III leverage ratios in Q2
Eleven of 25 major Asia-Pacific banks reported quarter-over-quarter rise in Basel III leverage ratios in the second quarter. China Minsheng Banking Corp. Ltd.'s ratio rose 49 basis points in the second quarter from the first quarter, the biggest increase in the sample, S&P Global Market Intelligence found.
2. Data Dispatch Asia-Pacific: Major Asia-Pacific banks' liquidity coverage ratios in Q2 offer mixed picture
Twelve of 20 major Asia-Pacific banks reported quarter-over-quarter decline in liquidity coverage ratios in the second quarter. For the period ended June 30, Norinchukin Bank posted the largest drop of the ratio by 58.5 percentage points from the previous quarter, according to a sample by S&P Global Market Intelligence.
3. Data Dispatch Asia-Pacific: At least 6 Chinese banks will have to pass on excess provisions as dividends
At least six Chinese banks will be required to distribute excess loan-loss provisions as dividends to shareholders if the government tightens an accounting rule as proposed. Chinese lenders with provision coverage ratios exceeding 300% will have to distribute reserves beyond that amount as dividends, according to draft rules released by the Ministry of Finance in late September.
4. Data Dispatch Asia-Pacific: Chinese banks post some of the biggest drop in CET1 ratios in Asia Pacific in Q2
China's biggest banks reported some of the largest quarter-over-quarter decline in fully loaded common equity Tier 1 ratios in the second quarter ended June 30, according to a survey by S&P Global Market Intelligence. China Merchants Bank Co. Ltd. posted the biggest dip in the ratio, down 50 basis points from the end of the first quarter.
5. Data Dispatch Asia-Pacific: India's real financial inclusion work starts now, say analysts
India has made significant strides in connecting more adults to the banking system over the last five years and the next step is to get more people to actually use it, analysts said.
