HONG KONG (Reuters) – “Chairman Fu” is stepping on the gas at Sinopec’s M&A machine.

A $2.2 billion deal with U.S. oil and natural gas producer Devon Energy Corp (DVN.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) this week is the Chinese group’s 11th deal since June and takes spending on acquisitions to $10.4 billion in that time, according to Thomson Reuters – more M&A volume than Sinopec’s two Chinese rivals, Exxon-Mobil (XOM.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), BP (BP.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), Shell (RDSa.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and Chevron (CVX.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) combined.

HONG KONG, Jan 5 (Reuters) – “Chairman Fu” is stepping
on the gas at Sinopec’s M&A machine.

A $2.2 billion deal with U.S. oil and natural gas producer
Devon Energy Corp this week is the Chinese group’s 11th
deal since June and takes spending on acquisitions to $10.4
billion in that time, according to Thomson Reuters – more M&A
volume than Sinopec’s two Chinese rivals, Exxon-Mobil,
BP, Shell and Chevron combined.

HONG KONG, Dec 12 (Reuters) – The Goldman Sachs Group
Inc banker who was co-head of the firm’s Asia investment
banking operation for six years is retiring, according to an
internal memo obtained by Reuters on Monday, the second senior
Asia banker to depart Goldman in the last month.

Mark Machin, whose most recent title was Asia-Pacific
ex-Japan vice chairman, is retiring from the firm after 20
years, the memo said. Machin spent the past few years based in
Beijing, where he was closely involved with the bank’s joint
venture Gao Hua Securities. Machin serves on the board of Gao
Hua.

HONG KONG, Dec 9 (Reuters) – Pressure is building on
Hong Kong banks to rein in lending and tuck away excess cash in
a move prompted in part by European lenders retreating from the
region as they deal with a debt crisis back home.

The implications are serious for the future earnings of
banks like Dah Sing Bank (2356.HK: Quote, Profile, Research) and Public Financial Holdings
(0626.HK: Quote, Profile, Research), and for Greater China corporates seeking credit lines
to keep operations running.

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Former Lone Pine and Goldman Sachs (GS.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) executives are aiming to raise $1 billion (640 million pounds) in an Asia-focused hedge fund, three sources said, hoping to break into a very small group of funds of that size in the region.

The plan indicates that more blockbuster fund launches in Asia could follow as investors, despite volatile markets, are willing to risk their money with managers who have track records.

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Eashwar Krishnan, a former analyst at hedge fund Lone Pine, and Tanvir Ghani, former head of capital introduction for Asia-Pacific at Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N: Quote, Profile, Research), are setting up an Asia-focused hedge fund, three sources familiar with the matter said.

They are aiming to raise about $1 billion (639 million pounds), hoping to break into a very small group of funds of that size in Asia.

HONG KONG, Dec 7 (Reuters) – Eashwar Krishnan, a
former analyst at hedge fund Lone Pine, and Tanvir Ghani, former
head of capital introduction for Asia-Pacific at Goldman Sachs
Group Inc, are setting up an Asia-focused hedge fund,
three sources familiar with the matter said.

They are aiming to raise about $1 billion, hoping to break
into a very small group of funds of that size in Asia.

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Eashwar Krishnan, a former analyst at hedge fund Lone Pine, and Tanvir Ghani, former head of capital introduction for Asia-Pacific at Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), are setting up an Asia-focused hedge fund, three sources familiar with the matter said.

They are aiming to raise about $1 billion, hoping to break into a very small group of funds of that size in Asia.

HONG KONG, Dec 2 (Reuters) – Under pressure from a
spiralling debt crisis at home, Credit Agricole and other
European banks are offloading more of the loans they hold in
Asia, squeezing up lending rates and making it tougher for small
and mid-sized companies to borrow.

As French and other European-based banks look to sell
overseas assets to shore up their capital at home, they have
increased the traffic in detailed loan documents, known as axe
sheets, to other banks across Asia.

HONG KONG, Dec 1 (Reuters) – Newcomers to the broad
Asia banking market are slugging it out in a fight for survival,
facing a shrinking fee pool, fewer deals, and weak trading
volumes.

Some brokerage and advisory shops new to the group of
regional players are pressing ahead with their Asia growth
plans, undeterred by the tough economic climate and bent on
using the broader industry struggles to their advantage.