On July 2, 2024, CITIC Bank's London branch successfully listed and issued a $300 million floating-rate green bond on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX). This bond marks CITIC Bank's first issuance of a floating-rate bond benchmarked against SOFR (Secured Overnight Financing Rate) and is also the bank's first overseas green bond.

This green bond issuance is based on the classification catalog standards jointly initiated by the People's Bank of China and the European Union in 2022 for international sustainable finance. It received the best green bond rating for Chinese banks in the Asia-Pacific region. It is also the only issuance in the market that has been certified by the top three green assessment agencies—S& P, Moody’s and Fitch—and achieved outstanding results. These achievements demonstrate CITIC Bank’s commitment and momentum towards high standards, high demands and high-quality development in the field of green finance, and also highlights the deep alignment between CITIC Bank’s overseas expansion and its initiatives in green finance development.

The bond market responded positively to CITIC Bank's green bond issuance, with peak order books exceeding seven times the subscription amount and the issuance price tightening by 50bps compared to the initial pricing. This reflects strong recognition of CITIC Bank's business development and credit standing in both domestic and international markets.

As the first overseas branch of China CITIC Bank, the London Branch has been committed to expanding and synergizing China CITIC Bank's overseas business since its opening in 2019. The debut of this green bond demonstrates the high professionalism and market acumen of China CITIC Bank, and has generated a positive and optimistic international market influence. Against the backdrop of growing low-carbon economies worldwide, green finance has become a key area of focus for global development. The London branch of CITIC Bank stated that it will leverage the comprehensive synergies of the CITIC Group, with unwavering determination and confidence, to further penetrate the realm of green finance and actively contribute to the advancement of the “five pivotal areas” within financial services. 

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中信银行首支境外绿色债券在港交所挂牌发行