The Hong Kong Monetary Authority has cleared the way for Bank of China to try again with a local debt issue similar to the one that did not happen last year.
Bankers, however, say there is little indication the Chinese bank will be coming to market soon.
Speculation has been rife that the bank would try for a relaunch of last year's record-setting floating rate certificate of deposit launch, as the factor that killed the deal has been done away with.
Paul Smith, executive director of debt capital markets, Union Bank of Switzerland, said he had been hearing 'whispers of a big deal'.
'But the bank has no apparent need for medium-term funding at the moment,' he observed.
Other bankers echoed that view, citing the extremely liquid state of most banks in the territory.
China Development Finance Co, Bank of China's investment banking arm and lead manager of last year's scuppered deal, would only say that it was too early to say if the bank would have another go.
