Banks are abandoning the narrative of energy scarcity as AI drives a huge pivot towards energy abundance and infrastructure dominance, including in Asia.

The buoyancy in the sector is being driven by multiple factors, including regulatory shifts, policy support, and debt capital market activity in the city.

Chinese transactions are benefitting from a booming IPO market in Hong Kong, which is driving Asia growth from a low base.

Weak exports, inflation and a lack of foreign investment continue to weigh on the Southeast Asian nation; remittances are one bright spot.

Despite challenges, regional opportunities exist in structured credit, defensive corporate exposures, high-yield bonds, and emerging market sovereigns, according to MFS Investment Management's Pilar Gomez-Bravo.

The Singaporean bank continues its diversified funding strategy, achieving tight pricing for a five-year tenor. The majority of investors came from Australia, New Zealand and Asia.

In the week of the World Economic Forum, Devendra Fadnavis, chief minister of Maharashtra, shares investment opportunities such as AI, infrastructure, mobility and renewables, in the fast-growing Indian state.

Final orders were over S$2bn allowing UOB to upsize from its original S$500m benchmark; there was participation from 96 investors with 26% outside of Singapore.

Global regulators are seeing a convergence of digital-asset standards, even as differences in pace and risk culture persist. Speakers at the Singapore Fintech Festival said responsible innovation, is becoming the organising principle for harmonisation.

The offerings attracted public sector institutions, banks, asset managers, corporates and private banks, with particularly strong participation from Asia.