The ninth batch of silver bonds issued by the Hong Kong government will be open for subscription starting from Monday (September 30), with a scale of 50 billion yuan, which may be increased to 55 billion yuan depending on the subscription response. The interest rate is linked to local inflation, guaranteeing an interest rate of 4%. In addition, the minimum trading unit for silver bonds is 0.01 million yuan, with a maturity period of 3 years and semi-annual interest payments. Several banks believe that the subscription response for the new batch of silver bonds on the first day was ideal.

Andy Cheuk, head of wealth management and personal banking business investment at HSBC's Hong Kong Wealth Management and Personal Banking Business Department, stated that with the US starting a rate-cutting cycle, it is expected that interest rates in Hong Kong will also decline. High-quality bonds have become an attractive option for investors to lock in returns, especially for risk-averse or retirees who prefer stable returns. The latest batch of silver bonds allows them to diversify their investment portfolios while securing attractive income.

Hang Seng Bank (00011.HK) Investment and Wealth Management Department Head, Lin King Tung, stated that the bank's customers showed enthusiastic response on the first day of subscribing to the new batch of silver bonds, with a rise in the proportion of customers subscribing through digital channels.

Bonnie Leung, Assistant General Manager of Personal Banking Products at Bank of China Hong Kong (02388.HK), mentioned that the bank's customers had a strong response on the first day of subscription, with an average of 22 lots subscribed per person, higher than last year's 20 lots.

ICBC (Asia) also revealed that the total subscription amount and number of people on the first day increased by about 10% compared to last year. The average subscription per person is about 26 lots, with the highest subscription amount being 1 million, and online channel subscriptions accounting for about 70%, in line with expectations. (js/w)

~