Core Viewpoint - The China Interbank Market Dealers Association has initiated a self-regulatory investigation into Guangfa Bank for allegedly guiding prices in the issuance of its 2025-2026 secondary capital bonds [2][5]. Group 1: Investigation Details - On July 21, the Dealers Association announced the investigation after discovering potential price manipulation during the selection of underwriters for Guangfa Bank's bond issuance [2][5]. - The investigation was triggered by the unusually low underwriting fees proposed by some of the selected underwriters, with China Galaxy Securities and Industrial Bank quoting only 700 yuan [5][8]. Group 2: Market Context - The bond underwriting market has seen frequent low-price competition, which disrupts healthy market development. For instance, in 2021, China International Capital Corporation won a bid with a fee of only 10,000 yuan, raising similar concerns [7][8]. - In response to these issues, the Dealers Association issued a notice on June 16 to strengthen self-regulatory management of low-price underwriting and other non-compliant behaviors [7][8]. Group 3: Regulatory Measures - The notice mandates that underwriters must not quote fees below their costs and emphasizes fair treatment of all investors without pre-agreed bond issuance rates [8]. - The Dealers Association will monitor bond issuance and underwriting activities regularly and impose self-regulatory measures or penalties for violations, with serious cases being referred to relevant authorities [8][9].

Core Viewpoint - The bond underwriting market in China is experiencing severe price competition, with underwriters willing to accept extremely low fees to secure business, leading to regulatory investigations into several institutions for abnormal pricing practices [1][6][10]. Group 1: Underwriting Fee Trends - The underwriting fees for the 2025-2026 secondary capital bond project by Guangfa Bank were reported as exceptionally low, with fees as low as 700 yuan and an average of around 10,000 yuan per institution, significantly below market averages [3][4][6]. - The total underwriting service fee for the six selected institutions was only 63,448 yuan, raising concerns about the sustainability of such low pricing [3][4]. Group 2: Regulatory Response - The China Interbank Market Dealers Association has initiated self-regulatory investigations into six institutions for their unusually low bids, citing potential violations of self-regulatory rules [6][10]. - Previous instances of low underwriting fees by Guangfa Bank have also drawn market scrutiny, indicating a pattern of aggressive pricing strategies that may undermine market integrity [6][10]. Group 3: Market Dynamics - The intense competition among underwriting firms is driven by a desire to increase market share and rankings, leading to a cycle of low pricing that may not cover operational costs [7][9]. - The top six banks dominate the bond underwriting market, holding a combined market share of 53.7%, which pressures smaller firms to engage in price competition to secure business [9]. Group 4: Industry Concerns - There are significant concerns that continued low pricing in the underwriting market could lead to inadequate due diligence and increased risks of bond defaults, potentially harming the overall market [10]. - Experts suggest that a shift in focus from low pricing to value creation is necessary to restore a healthy competitive environment in the bond underwriting sector [10].

Core Viewpoint - The article highlights that while short-term low-price competition in bond underwriting may provide institutions with market share, long-term consequences arise when underwriting fees fall below cost, leading to a "shrinkage effect" in professional services that can have a series of detrimental chain reactions [1] Group 1 - To break the low-price competition dilemma in bond underwriting, collaboration among regulators, issuers, and other stakeholders is necessary to implement targeted solutions [1] - The focus of market competition should shift from "who quotes lower" to "who creates more value," allowing financial intermediaries to escape the fee-based constraints and rebuild a competitive landscape centered on quality and compliance [1] - This shift aims to return bond underwriting services to their fundamental purpose, promoting the long-term healthy development of the bond market from the source [1]

Core Viewpoint - The recent issuance of a 35 billion yuan secondary capital bond has highlighted the issue of extremely low underwriting fees in the bond underwriting market, prompting the China Interbank Market Dealers Association to initiate a self-regulatory investigation into the matter [1] Group 1: Underwriting Fee Issues - The total underwriting service fee for the six selected underwriters was only 63,448 yuan, averaging around 10,000 yuan per institution, indicating a "floor price" for bond underwriting [1] - The association's announcement on July 11 emphasized that if any parties violate self-regulatory rules during business operations, they will face self-regulatory actions [1] Group 2: Causes of Low Price Competition - Three main reasons for the low-price competition in bond underwriting are identified: 1. Institutions are focusing on "price for volume," where larger institutions dominate the market and engage in low-fee bidding to increase their underwriting scale and market ranking [2] 2. The evaluation criteria for bidding often prioritize price over service quality and risk management, encouraging underwriters to sacrifice reasonable profit margins [2] 3. Many institutions have a singular business structure, making bond underwriting a critical cash flow business, leading them to participate in low-margin bidding to maintain market share [2] Group 3: Long-term Consequences - While low-price competition may provide short-term market share, it risks long-term damage to the underwriting process, including: 1. Insufficient resource allocation for due diligence and risk assessment, potentially leading to increased bond defaults and harming investor interests [3] 2. The survival of compliant institutions is threatened, while aggressive bidders may resort to gray market practices, undermining healthy competition [3] 3. The core value of underwriters in facilitating effective capital allocation diminishes, as the process becomes a mere "channel" service [3] 4. A focus on price wars hampers innovation in product development, affecting the industry's ability to lead in areas like green bonds and ESG derivatives [3] Group 4: Recommendations for Improvement - To break the low-price competition cycle, a collaborative approach involving regulators and issuers is necessary, shifting the market focus from "who bids lower" to "who creates more value" [4] - This shift would help financial intermediaries escape the fee-centric mindset and rebuild a competitive landscape centered on quality and compliance, promoting the long-term health of the bond market [4]

Core Viewpoint - The recent self-discipline investigation by the trading association has highlighted the phenomenon of "floor pricing" in bond underwriting, particularly in the case of the underwriting fees for the 2025-2026 secondary capital bond project of Guangfa Bank, which has drawn significant market attention [1][3]. Group 1: Low Pricing Phenomenon - The occurrence of three-digit underwriting fees is rare and reflects a broader trend of low-price competition within the industry [3]. - In the competitive bidding process for Guangfa Bank's bond issuance, the total underwriting fee for the six selected institutions was only 63,448 yuan, with some institutions quoting as low as 700 yuan [3][4]. - Historically, underwriting fees for bond projects typically do not fall below 1 million yuan, but recent trends show that actual fees have significantly decreased due to intensified competition [4][6]. Group 2: Market Dynamics - The underwriting fee rates for large state-owned and joint-stock banks can drop below 0.08%, primarily because these banks issue high-quality assets, making the issuance process simpler and less costly [7][8]. - Smaller banks often face higher costs for underwriting, with fees generally exceeding 1 million yuan, indicating a disparity in pricing strategies based on the size and quality of the issuing bank [8]. - The competitive landscape has led to a situation where institutions prioritize market share over profitability, resulting in a willingness to accept low fees to secure business [8][10]. Group 3: Regulatory Response - The trading association has issued guidelines to strengthen the norms for bond issuance and underwriting, emphasizing the need for market-based principles and fair treatment of all investors [10][11]. - There is a call for regulatory measures to establish minimum fee standards for bond issuance to prevent "involutionary" competition and ensure the quality of bond issuance [11][12]. - The industry is experiencing increased scrutiny from regulators, with a focus on compliance and the need for underwriting institutions to maintain a balance between cost control and regulatory adherence [11][12].

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the low underwriting fees for bond issuance by Guangfa Bank, raising concerns about "price-cutting" competition among underwriters in the bond market [1][2][25]. Group 1: Bond Issuance and Underwriting Fees - Guangfa Bank has not disclosed plans for the issuance scale of its 2025-2026 secondary capital bonds, but it issued two tranches totaling 26 billion yuan in 2024 [1][15]. - The underwriting fee for the bond issuance was reported to be as low as 700 yuan, which is considered a "floor price" in the industry [1][15]. - The underwriting service fee for the six selected underwriters totaled only 63,448 yuan, with a tax rate of 6% [5]. Group 2: Industry Response and Investigations - The China Securities Association has initiated a self-regulatory investigation into six main underwriters due to concerns over the low fees associated with Guangfa Bank's bond project [3][25]. - The association's investigation may impact the results of the recent bidding process for the bond underwriting [7]. - Previous instances of low pricing in bond underwriting have drawn regulatory scrutiny, indicating a pattern of "price-cutting" competition in the industry [21][22]. Group 3: Market Competition and Trends - The bond underwriting market is highly competitive, with leading firms dominating the rankings based on total underwriting amounts and numbers [20][21]. - The article highlights that the current trend of "price-cutting" among underwriters is a response to the fierce competition for market share [19][21]. - Regulatory bodies have previously issued guidelines to curb unreasonably low underwriting fees, emphasizing the need for fair competition in the market [24].

Core Viewpoint - The bond underwriting service fee has reached an unprecedented low, raising concerns in the industry, prompting the Trading Dealers Association to initiate a self-regulatory investigation into the involved underwriters [2][12]. Group 1: Investigation and Findings - The Trading Dealers Association announced a self-regulatory investigation into six main underwriters after noticing the low service fees in the bond underwriting for Guangfa Bank's 2025-2026 secondary capital bonds [2][12]. - The selected underwriters for Guangfa Bank's bond issuance were China Galaxy Securities, Guangfa Securities, Industrial Bank, Guotai Junan Securities, CITIC Securities, and CITIC Jianan Securities, with total service fees amounting to only RMB 63,448 [2][4]. Group 2: Service Fee Details - The estimated service fees for the selected underwriters were as follows: China Galaxy Securities RMB 700, Guangfa Securities RMB 1,050, Industrial Bank RMB 700, Guotai Junan Securities RMB 4,998, CITIC Jianan Securities RMB 35,000, and CITIC Securities RMB 21,000 [4][5]. - The extremely low service fees, particularly the RMB 700 from China Galaxy Securities and Industrial Bank, have been described as "floor price" [8]. Group 3: Industry Context - The bond underwriting market is highly competitive, with firms often engaging in price wars to secure underwriting deals, leading to a significant drop in service fees [10]. - The industry typically sees underwriting fees ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of RMB, indicating that the current fees are significantly below the market norm [8][10]. Group 4: Regulatory Response - The Trading Dealers Association's investigation may impact the results of the current bidding process, as the association has previously expressed concerns over low-price competition in the bond underwriting sector [3][12]. - Regulatory bodies have issued multiple guidelines to curb the practice of underpricing in bond underwriting, emphasizing the need for fair competition and adherence to industry standards [11].