Covered Bonds

AIB Group has become the first bank in Ireland to develop a green bond framework and has mandated ING for a roadshow to promote it. The framework aims to support lending for energy-efficient buildings and other projects that promote the transition to a low carbon economy.

Deutsche Bank issued the most oversubscribed Pfandbrief since mid-July on Wednesday. The strong showing contrasted to Bawag, which competed less well for investors’ attention with a deal in the same tenor and with the same starting spread. The unconvincing Austrian outcome has caused some to question the market outlook and one borrower to postpone issuance.

A run of 10 year covered bond issuance looks set to continue through to Wednesday with Bawag and Deutsche Bank announcing plans for Pfandbrief transactions. Bankers on these deals are hopeful that order book momentum improves, but some are slightly concerned that investor fatigue may be setting in.

Hypo Noe and Prima banka Slovensko competed for investors’ attention with similar sized covered bonds in the same seven year tenor on Tuesday. The Austrian transaction was priced with barely any concession and the higher rated Slovakian transaction was the first debut deal to price with a negative yield and the first from Central and Eastern Europe with a negative yield.

Hypo Noe Landesbank fuer Niederoesterreich und Wien (Hypo Noe) has mandated lead managers for a seven year public sector backed covered bond.

Belfius Bank issued the first Belgian covered bond of 2019 on Monday. Although the order book built slowly, the tightly priced 10 year attracted solid demand.

Although the European Central Bank (ECB) hasn’t said yet how it intends to split buying across the €20bn of net asset purchases that it plans on making each month, it is likely covered bonds will form an integral part. And if covered bonds tighten, that probably means much else will be dragged along for the ride.

Investors bid a warm welcome to a heap of new bonds from financial institutions this week, spurred on by the knowledge that the European Central Bank would soon be back as one of the biggest buyers in the market. Bill Thornhill and Tyler Davies report.

German Pfandbrief issuers DZ Hyp and Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen Girozentrale (Helaba) enjoyed strong receptions for their €1bn Pfandbriefe issued this week. Bankers suggested that the German market had a good chance to perform.

Lloyds Bank, Virgin Money and Skipton Building Society took advantage of an improvement in market conditions since the European Central Bank’s policy meeting, and the UK Parliament’s efforts to legislate against leaving Europe without a deal, to issue a string of successful covered bonds this week.

The order book for Landesbank Hessen-Thueringen Girozentrale’s (Helaba) €1bn 10 year public sector backed Pfandbrief was quick to build reflecting the view that the bonds were priced cheaply and that spreads will almost certainly tighten, said bankers.

Two Canadian issuers revitalised the dollar covered bond market this week as Royal Bank of Canada raised €1.5bn of three year funding on Tuesday at half the cost of its senior funding and at a substantially lower cost than a year ago. The transaction was followed by Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec (FCDQ) which opened order books for another three year on Thursday.