Americas

As Colombia’s government gears up for a political battle to push through a tax reform that may save its investment grade status, the sovereign’s head of public credit told GlobalCapital that the market reception of a dual tranche bond issue on Monday represented a vote of confidence from international investors.

US-listed Zai Lab and Futu Holdings are tapping the equity market for funds through follow-on offerings, with both the Chinese companies launching their transactions after a rally in their stock price.

RBC Capital Markets has created a new leadership position at the top of its global public sector markets business, promoting a senior banker in Toronto to fill the role.

Citi's head of EMEA banking, capital markets and advisory, Phil Drury, is relocating to San Francisco to take charge of a new franchise covering technology and communications.

Puerta de Hierro, a toll road project in Colombia’s Caribbean region, will begin investor calls on Monday as it looks to sell an inflation-linked Colombian peso-denominated social bond that has a double-A credit rating thanks to a guarantee from the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).

Oil and gas producer Pan American Energy is looking to become the first Argentine company to issue international bonds this year, though it is the company’s operations in Bolivia and Mexico that may enable it to dodge the distress in its home country.

Scotiabank has hired a new head of syndication in New York, GlobalCapital understands.

The Covid-19 pandemic caused severe disruption to financial markets in 2020-2021. During this difficult time, the Bank of Canada and the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions took a number of actions to build resilience and improve the stability of the Canadian financial system. Federally regulated financial institutions were, among other things, permitted the privilege to pledge covered bonds with the central bank, which provided access to long-term repos and benefited from preferential regulatory treatment of loans subject to payment deferrals.

Colombian lender Banco Davivienda and Central American renewable energy company CMI Energía both priced new issues inside the ranges indicated at guidance on Thursday, as Latin American bond markets took advantage of a strong bid for US Treasuries.

Peruvian bonds barely moved this week after a shock in the first round of the country’s presidential elections on April 11, while Ecuador debt reacted spectacularly to a positive electoral surprise on the same day. Yet there are concerns about complacency towards risks in Peru, where a left-wing radical took most first-round votes, and Latin American bond buyers should brace for more volatility as the region faces an exceptionally busy election cycle.

Public Storage wrapped up a quickfire acquisition financing in the US bond market this week, after supply slowed to a trickle as huge swathes of corporate America entered earnings blackouts.

More than 90% of Suriname’s bondholders this week participated in a consent solicitation that extends the sovereign’s debt standstill until the end of July. But the government has only until April 30 to sign a deal with the IMF, or the standstill will be cancelled.