Book excerpt: This edition reviews developments in local currency bond markets in emerging East Asia during the fourth quarter of 2023. While the size of these markets expanded by 2.5% quarter-on-quarter, local currency bond issuance contracted 4.8%. The publication notes improved liquidity in most of these markets in 2023. It includes summaries of the region's individual markets. It also looks at financial conditions in emerging East Asia between December 2023 and February 2024, noting marginal improvement.