HSBC Holdings has taken the unusual step of getting directly involved in pushing its Hong Kong subsidiary, Hang Seng Bank, to offload portfolios of bad real estate debt, underscoring growing concerns over the city’s struggling property sector. About two months ago, the lender directed its London-based global chief corporate credit officer and the head of…
Hong Kong’s Stablecoins Ordinance marks a significant milestone, as cross-border payments using the cryptocurrency can facilitate trade-finance flows between Hong Kong, mainland China and global markets such as the Middle East, according to the CEO of Zand, an AI-powered fintech and financial-services group in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Future development under the ordinance could…
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), the city’s de facto central bank, said it had no plans to establish a “bad bank” to absorb troubled debt in the financial system, saying that the local banking sector remained healthy and profitable. “Overall, banks in Hong Kong maintain a healthy balance sheet; their credit risk is manageable…
Fitch Ratings has maintained Hong Kong’s “AA-” credit rating and “stable” outlook, which the government has said is a reflection of the city’s strong financial position. A government spokesman said on Friday that the unchanged rating and outlook recognised the city’s “large fiscal buffers, robust external finances and a low level of fiscal debt”, as…