Americas

Antofagasta plc, the Chilean copper miner that is the longest continuously listed company on the London Stock Exchange, began investor calls on Monday as it turned to bond markets for the first time.

Global equity capital markets bankers anticipate a disorderly US election in November. They fear that a disputed contest between president Donald Trump and former vice-president Joe Biden could lead to sustained market volatility which would severely impact ECM issuance.

Business services company Atento became the fourth Latin American credit in recent weeks to cancel borrowing plans on Friday, blaming “unfavourable” market conditions as it postponed a proposed liability management exercise.

This week in Keeping Tabs: investment strategy in the age of quantitative easing and a possible Joe Biden presidency in the US, while in the UK, financial firms are still adjusting to Brexit.

Latin American bond bankers were receiving mixed messages from primary market activity this week as Colombian bank GNB Sudameris cancelled a proposed tier two deal but two other companies notched strong deals.

The Province of Mendoza has become the first Argentine province to complete a restructuring of its international bonds this year after a proposal, amended twice, achieved enough backing to trigger the collective action clause (CAC).

Suriname, South America’s smallest country, has tabled an amendment to its debt act that includes a request to the finance minister to submit a debt restructuring plan.

Colombia will become the first country to ever draw funds from an IMF flexible credit line (FCL), the Fund’s facility for its star pupils. In these exceptional times, Colombia should ignore any stigma associated with tapping IMF funding and be applauded for healthy pragmatism.

A record month for US mergers and acquisitions will fail to boost the dollar corporate bond market, as bankers predict a sharp slowdown in activity in the fourth quarter.

Two borrowers visited the long end of the dollar curve this week and while both completed their deals successfully, investors clearly displayed more appetite for the higher yielding of the pair.

Fédération des Caisses Desjardins du Québec (CCDJ) issued the first Canadian covered bond in dollars since May on Wednesday flat to where the major Canadian banks issue senior unsecured debt.

Lloyds Banking Group asked permission from investors this week to change the reset rates on two of its additional tier one (AT1) securities so they bear reference to Sonia. The move is likely to kick off a trend in sterling and in dollars, as market participants prepare for the death of Libor.