Covered Bonds

Erste Group has changed the reporting on its cover pool in a move that has effectively resulted in a substantial increase in issuance capacity which other borrowers with limited collateral could mimic.

Core covered bond markets still have scope to perform by a few basis points over the rest of this year, said bankers on Tuesday. They argued concerns about the EU recovery fund pushing spreads wider had been overplayed.

Doubts about the strength of covered bond investor demand were swept away on Tuesday after Berlin Hyp issued its most oversubscribed Pfandbrief in more than five years. The deal sends a strong signal to other issuers that may have been considering tapping the long end at negative yields.

Berlin Hyp has mandated leads for the first covered bond from the eurozone since June 30 and plans to issue a 10 year deal secured on green mortgages and has pledged to undertake a number of new strategic commitments.

Danish bankers believe that Danish mortgage banks are well capitalised and do not see the need to hold more capital, as was recently proposed by the Danish central bank.

Cypriot banks could start selling covered bonds for the first time in a decade if the country clarifies and strengthens its issuing framework in line with new EU standards, Scope Ratings said in a report this week.

Crédit Agricole's Swiss subsidiary is selling its first structured covered bond in Swiss francs. The deal will be issued under a new programme using Swiss contractual law in a change from the French law covered bonds issued by the parent bank in the Swiss franc market. Elsewhere in the Swiss market, Münchener Hypothekenbank issued a green bond on Friday.

Newly released data compiled by the European Covered Bond Council (ECBC) underscores the robust growth of the covered bond market, with volumes rising to €2.7tr globally over 34 countries. Volumes will have exploded again this year due to the scale of retained issuance that’s been used for central bank funding.

A surge in repo-eligible issuance and deteriorating credit outlook for the retail and hotel commercial mortgage segments that secure some cover pools has pummelled the Pfandbrief market. This has been compounded by a lack of transparency leading to "an uneasy feeling" and ‘some uncertainty’ said bankers.

The European Commission has reached out to the European Covered Bond Council (ECBC) to make the case for reinvigorating the market for European Secured Notes. ESNs could improve access to crucial funding for Europe’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are struggling to recover following lockdowns imposed to contain the spread of Covid-19.

Covered bond issuance usually picks up around this time of year and bankers believe next week is likely to be particularly promising. Though funding needs have generally been cut, borrowers may be tempted to move before an expected surge in competing EU government bond supply that is likely to make covered bonds look expensive.

The three major rating agencies have upgraded UBI’s credit rating, to be in line with Intesa Sanpaolo’s as the latter's takeover of the former concludes. Market participants are expecting UBI’s covered bond spreads to tighten as a result.