Whenever investment banks talk up a new product or trend, it’s always best to be wary. But the signs are that emerging markets to emerging markets deal flow – the latest new big thing – will soon become part of everyday capital markets life.
Three big deals are in the pipeline.
The one grabbing the most headlines is the decision by Brazilian firm Vale, the world’s biggest iron ore miner, to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, thus becoming the first Latin American company to do so. Vale has a market capitalization of $164 billion and is already listed in São Paulo, Paris and New York. But Asia, especially China, is home to the most important customers for commodity companies. Vale will follow in the footsteps of Russia’s Rusal, which earlier this year became the first non-Asian firm to sell shares through the Hang Seng. Other big emerging market companies are also considering the possibility of a Hong Kong listing. Vale’s compatriot, Petrobras, might issue depositary receipts. Kazakh and South African resource companies are making noises too.
The second possible transaction is a Brazilian real-denominated international bond from Russia’s VTB. The state-owned bank is mulling over a five-year deal raising about R$500 million ($288.7