Rebound in overseas corporate bonds based on China’s control of COVID-19 pandemic: economic planner

A rebound of corporate bond issuance by Chinese companies from June to July is largely due to China having kept the COVID-19 epidemic under control, China's top economic planning agency said on Monday.

A total of 125 mid- and long-term bonds totaling $45.92 billion were issued by 84 Chinese companies in the overseas market during the June-July period, according to the National Development and Reform Commission.

Among them, issuances by industrial firms jumped by 30 percent on the same period last year, while financial institutions saw an increase of 25 percent. Issuance by real estate firms declined 24 percent.

"China's record of keeping the epidemic under control and the broad resumption of work and production have increased the confidence of overseas capital in the Chinese economy and Chinese corporations," Meng Wei, spokesperson for the NDRC told a news briefing on Monday.

Ample liquidity in the global market, an overall inflow toward emerging markets, and safe haven demand amidst global economic turbulence helped set the stage for the rebound in issuances, Meng noted.

In the first half of this year, the number of mid- and long-term bonds reached 264 and were issued by 164 Chinese companies. The bonds totaled $103.31 billion. Issuance by companies in the energy sector saw a marked increase of over 200 percent year-on-year.