Acceptance and Use of English in the Bond Markets

This brief explains why ASEAN+3 bond markets should consider using English as a common language to attract more professional investors, boost liquidity, and support the future creation of an intraregional market.It underscores the benefits of using the language for bond market issuance and disclosure documentation in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), plus the People's Republic of China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea. With 14 regional markets currently using 19 official domestic languages, the brief argues that using a common language would improve the experience of bond investors, intermediaries, and issuers.