logo
Pakistan kicks off investor roadshow in China for inaugural panda bond

Pakistan kicks off investor roadshow in China for inaugural panda bond

Arab News09-07-2025
KARACHI: Pakistan has launched a series of investor meetings in Beijing this week as it prepares to issue its first-ever panda bond, the finance ministry said on Wednesday, marking a significant step in the country's strategy to diversify its funding sources through China's onshore capital market.
Representatives from the Pakistani ministry of finance are holding the non-deal investor roadshow (NDR) in China from July 7 to 11, 2025. The delegation has engaged in technical discussions with potential investors, underwriters, prospective guarantors, the Chinese Rating Agency, and Chinese legal counsel as part of the pre-marketing process for the debut issuance.
The investor meetings focus on Pakistan's macroeconomic outlook, ongoing debt management reforms and the proposed bond's structure. The initiative reflects Pakistan's push to broaden its investor base and strengthen its credibility in international capital markets.
A panda bond is a Renminbi-denominated bond issued by a foreign government, multilateral institution, or company in China's onshore bond market, allowing overseas issuers to raise funds from Chinese investors while diversifying their investor base and gaining access to China's deep capital pool.
'The visit reflects the Government's commitment to proactive investor engagement and diversification of funding sources through access to China's onshore capital market,' the finance ministry said in a statement.
According to the ministry, the inaugural panda bond is expected to be launched later this year after the completion of documentation and regulatory approvals, including credit guarantees from multilateral development partners.
Officials said the roadshow has drawn strong initial interest, signalling investor confidence in Pakistan's reform trajectory. The ministry described the move as a milestone that would help Pakistan tap China's deep and diversified onshore bond market while using local currency instruments backed by multilateral partners.
'The successful NDR so far reflects the Government's commitment to innovative and forward-looking financial diplomacy — and sends a clear message: Pakistan is ready to enter new capital frontiers with confidence and credibility,' the statement added.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

For these Pakistani women, Independence Day offers a chance to earn and celebrate
For these Pakistani women, Independence Day offers a chance to earn and celebrate

Arab News

timean hour ago

  • Arab News

For these Pakistani women, Independence Day offers a chance to earn and celebrate

KARACHI: In the days before Pakistan's Independence Day, the streets of Karachi fill with green and white flags, bunting and balloons, but for many women in the city, the national celebration is also a time to step into business — if only for a few days. Housewives, maids and street vendors set up temporary stalls along busy roads and markets, selling flags, badges, hats and T-shirts to customers celebrating the August 14 holiday. In an economy where inflation has eroded incomes and steady jobs are scarce, the seasonal rush offers a welcome boost to household finances. 'August 14 is Independence Day, a day of happiness, so we also celebrate our happiness and earn a livelihood for the children,' said Shama Sikandar, a housewife selling Independence Day T-shirts for the first time this year from a roadside stall on Shahra-e-Quaideen. 'Before this, I would just stay at home and do nothing all year.' She said the sight of other women working outside the home inspired her to try. 'It feels good to be working. I have seen many women even driving rickshaws, some riding motorcycles, some pushing carts, and others doing various jobs to earn a livelihood for their children.' In Karachi, seasonal vendors crowd key intersections and shopping strips ahead of the holiday, calling out to passing motorists and pedestrians. The sales supplement incomes for women who otherwise rely on low-paying, year-round work. For 32-year-old maid and mother of three, Saima Babar, the August rush is a planned investment. From her savings of 30,000 rupees ($105), she buys flags and other celebratory goods to sell on the streets. 'Thanks to Allah, the household runs, we manage one meal a day, and that's fine, right? My children are doing okay,' she said. '[By selling flags] I manage to save about 10 to 12 thousand rupees ($36–$43).' Husna, a mother of seven who usually sells pens and keychains at traffic lights in Karachi's upscale Defense area, shifts her stall to the Sindhi Muslim neighborhood every August. 'On some flags, I earn 20 rupees ($0.07) profit; on others, 30 rupees ($0.11). In this way, I make around 1,200 rupees ($4.30) a day,' she said, before handing over a badge and a couple of flags to a customer. 'Our livelihood is made; there's enough for bread, water, and lentils. It's happiness for you, and it's happiness for us too. Pakistan Zindabad.' Even women who have been selling for years say the holiday provides a reliable boost. Sajan Kumar and his wife, Suman, have been setting up a flag stall on Shahra-e-Faisal every August for the past eight years. 'As soon as August 14 arrives, we come here to sell flags,' Kumar said. 'It's a day of celebration. We sell every year. People buy them, celebrate, and also come with their children to stroll around. We manage to save around 10 to 15 thousand rupees ($36–$54).' Pakistan marks its 79th Independence Day this year under the theme 'Marka-e-Haq – the Battle of Truth,' with celebrations beginning on Aug. 1 and running through the month. Across Sindh and Punjab provinces, flag-raising ceremonies, cultural shows, boat parades, marathons, and even donkey cart races have drawn large crowds. For Babar, the more the merrier. 'The more people celebrate, the more purchases there are, right?' she said with a smile.

Saudi PIF's assets under management rise 19% to 913bn in 2024
Saudi PIF's assets under management rise 19% to 913bn in 2024

Arab News

timean hour ago

  • Arab News

Saudi PIF's assets under management rise 19% to 913bn in 2024

RIYADH: The total value of assets under management held by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund reached $913 billion by the end of 2024, representing a 19 percent rise compared to the same period the previous year. In its 2024 Annual Report, the Public Investment Fund said that total revenue increased by 25 percent year on year, while cash balance remained strong and broadly unchanged. The analysis follows Brand Finance's recent ranking of PIF as the most valuable and fastest-growing sovereign wealth fund globally, with a brand value of $1.2 billion. In July, a Global SWF study reported that the wealth fund had risen to fourth place globally among sovereign wealth funds, with assets exceeding $1 trillion, slightly higher than the figure in PIF's annual report. 'PIF's portfolio delivered year-on-year growth of assets under management of 19 percent to reach $913 billion. Capital deployment across priority sectors reached $56.8 billion in 2024, bringing cumulative investment since the beginning of 2021 to more than $171 billion,' said Yasir A. Al-Salman, chief financial officer of PIF. PIF witnessed an annual average portfolio return of 7.2 percent since 2017, while the fund's cumulative real non-oil gross domestic product contribution to the Kingdom between 2021 and 2024 grew to $243 billion. 'Throughout 2024, PIF continued to lead with long-term vision and purpose. PIF deepened its impact and continued to drive the economic transformation of Saudi Arabia, while generating sustainable returns,' said Maram Al-Johani, PIF's acting chief of staff and secretary general to the board. She further said that the fund currently represents 10 percent of the Kingdom's non-oil economy. 'PIF's portfolio reflects its focus on diversifying the Saudi economy. PIF continued to invest in and establish new companies, driving forward change and bringing the total number of portfolio companies at year-end to 225, of which PIF has created and established 103,' said Al-Johani. Al-Johani added that PIF continued to drive the development of strategic economic sectors in the Kingdom through expanding the technical capabilities of its investment portfolios, promoting localization, and encouraging innovation. 'The 2024 results highlight PIF's transition from digital transformation to digital leadership, with artificial intelligence and automation together becoming a vital part of operations. In 2024, PIF completed 58 digital projects, launched 15 new applications and automated more than 477 processes, enabling insights, strategy and the creation of economic value,' said Al-Johani. PIF said that it continued to diversify funding sources, raising $9.83 billion in public debt and an additional $7 billion in private debt. Affirming the financial stability of PIF, global credit rating agency Moody's upgraded the fund's credit rating to Aa3 from A1 with a stable outlook, while Fitch affirmed its A+ rating with a stable outlook.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store