In countries such as Australia, where sophisticated structured note products are sold to the public, dealmakers have devised techniques to ensure the investments are created and sold in a way that makes them comprehensible while at the same time protecting those with legal responsibility for the offering.
Their experiences are a helpful guide as to how the market might develop in Hong Kong, where the low interest rate environment is forcing the public to look for new investment options. Coupled with the government's recent efforts to encourage a retail bond market, banks and corporate issuers are offering increasingly sophisticated structured notes. Issuance of equity and index linked notes has increased, and...