Americas

The US convertible bond market is showing little sign of slowing down, after another wave of new issues this week, including a jumbo $2.3bn bond from Southwest Airlines. The boom will continue, sources said, as companies attempt to bring in capital to offset a loss in revenue because of Covid-19.

Equities have made a stirring recovery since the record coronavirus sell-off in March. Corporates, looking to raise cash by any means necessary to survive the crisis and lower their risk, have taken advantage of the uplift, selling non-core equity holdings. Now, more are being urged to get in on the trade while it lasts, as there are fears that stock markets will plummet again if lockdowns or infections worsen with the pandemic far from over, writes Sam Kerr.

Deutsche Bank has regained its number one spot in its home market, but it was its traditional investment banking business that shone rather than investments made as part of the firm’s new Germany-focused strategy, writes David Rothnie.

Central American development bank Cabei announced its return to US bond markets in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis with its largest ever bond deal, as a strong bid from Asian buyers helped the lender to raise $750m inside regional comps.

Chilean government-owned copper miner Codelco said on Wednesday that it had sought to increase its cash position in the face of market uncertainty after wrapping a well oversubscribed return to bond markets.

Central American development bank Cabei is set to price its first 144A bond in nearly eight years on Wednesday after setting initial price thoughts.

With Covid-19 measures expected to add $4bn to Chile’s 2020 debt issuance, the sovereign is still to define the source of $4.5bn of funding for this year, according to the country’s head of international finance.

When Ecopetrol, which has been talking about bringing a bond for an absolute age, chose to do so last Friday after an oil price crash and in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, it took the market aback. Fridays after all, are not typically when any self-respecting Latin American bond issuer comes to the market. But there is nothing typical about Lat Am primary markets these days.

The European Investment Bank achieved its biggest ever order book in euros on Tuesday, as it sold its first seven year benchmark of the year.

Beijing Enterprises Clean Energy Group (BECE) has returned with a three year renminbi-denominated puttable bond, bringing yet another green transaction to the Panda market.

Bondholders and analysts said that the Province of Buenos Aires had offered slightly better terms than the Argentine sovereign with its distressed debt exchange, but the offer, for $7.148bn of debt, is still likely too aggressive to gain traction with investors.

After releasing first quarter results that one credit analyst said showed “limited to no impact” from the coronavirus pandemic, Mexican payroll lender Crédito Real said on Monday that it had established a $1.5bn MTN programme that would give it “access to a wide array of debt securities in various international markets, currencies and maturities”.