The World Bank Bonds are issued around the world to provide businesses and governments with money that might be difficult or impossible to raise any other way. Issuers are also looking for demand, or markets where investors have cash reserves that they are willing to invest in debt. These global bonds seek the largest possible investor base, often for supranational agencies such as the World Bank. For them to grow, experts agree that issuers must tap the capital that's available locally and build an investor base. They also suggest that when more bonds available in Asia are offered by Asian issuers there may be added interest.
Some markets also remain closed to overseas investors, or are subject to government intervention.
Plus, some areas lack a strong secondary market , where bonds trade after they're issued, or a regional settlement system. Currently, Japan has the largest bond market in the region, followed by Australia and New Zealand. Hong Kong has a thriving market, and markets in South Korea, Malaysia and Thailand are developing. The Asian Development Bank is both a borrower and a lender. The bank raises money through international debt offerings.