◆ AFT's Antoine Deruennes says 'clear message' showed demand for 30 year ◆ Speedy execution before US employment data ◆ Green OAT syndication next

◆ Refi deal came as issuer prepares IPO ◆ Deal extends the insurer's tier two curve by 10 years ◆ 'Strong bid' for Iberian FIG credit, says rival banker

◆ Portuguese utility firm powers up EuGB curve ◆ Sub-benchmark trade's book proves sticky ◆ Deal lands through fair value

◆ €500m 4NC3 EuGB deal priced inside fair value ◆ Greenium helps tighten spreads amid strong demand ◆ Landmark trade cements bank's ESG leadership, says treasurer

◆ Austrian lender completes its tightest unsecured debt since the start of war in Ukraine… ◆ …as BPM achieves its lowest ever senior spread ◆ High attrition function of premium and outright spread

◆ Issuer finds window between political volatility and supply onslaught ◆ Deal sets record low spread for callable sterling senior bail-in debt ◆ Investors remain on board despite tight price

The European Commission is on the verge of launching its new sustainable finance strategy — the first major fresh initiative since the Sustainable Finance Action Plan of 2018. GlobalCapital has seen a leaked draft, which reveals that the EU will explore whether to create official labels for transition bonds and sustainability-linked bonds, whether to regulate green mortgages, and how to reinforce investors’ responsibility for the effects of their investments.

Hungary, Poland and Romania are ranked in the top quarter of a new index of financial risk. Nomura says that countries should act now to reduce the risk of a crisis hitting within the next three years.

Investment analytics firm Impact Cubed has launched a new ranking for ESG impact based on which countries are improving fastest — an important factor when considering the view that those that demonstrate ESG leadership will attract more investment.

Accusations of greenwashing have been infrequent in the 14 year old green bond market, which mainly sticks to uncontroversial assets, such as renewable energy and railways. The sustainability-linked bond market is only a toddler, but already a much more difficult child. No wonder: it is handling tougher material.

The pace at which central banks are accelerating towards skewing monetary policy to support the fight against climate change was brought home this week by a speech by Isabel Schnabel, an executive board member at the European Central Bank, in which she went further than ever before in calling for strong action and hinted at how the ECB might do it.

Bank of America has set up an EMEA ESG strategic council chaired and led by three senior investment bankers, to intensify its effort to reduce its carbon footprint and manage its climate risks. BofA made a net zero commitment in February but has not yet set out its decarbonisation trajectory.

Benin showed Islamic issuance is a viable market for sub-Saharan African sovereigns

Sovereign left little, if anything, on the table for investors

Observers have questioned why the country is issuing debt at this price

Deal will bring fourth major multilateral development bank to the market

The bank's regular appearances in primary markets stopped after Russia invaded Ukraine

The seven year dollar bond's yield will likely be one of the highest in CEEMEA in the last few years

Craig Coben examines whether it is true that no good deed goes unpunished

Investors and bankers grapple with 24% fall in Bitcoin since deal was rated

Investment banking travel was a relentless grind, not gold card access to global glamour

Eight banks provided loan facility to company

Vaccine bond programme to issue $1.5bn this year but needs new pledges

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