Americas

Chinese live streaming platform YY is looking to take its online game broadcasting platform Huya public with a US IPO.

French lender BNP Paribas has hired Deutsche Bank’s head of Mexican corporate client coverage as managing director and country head for Mexico as it prepares to obtain a banking license in the country.

Derivatives exchanges around the world reported strong February volumes this week, potentially painting a rosy picture for the year ahead as markets seem set to return to higher volatility.

National Bank of Canada and Commerzbank both came to the market with seven year covered bonds on Tuesday.

Brazilian steel producer CSN will buy back $350m of existing bonds after concluding a tender offer for its 2019s and 2020s, though some investors think the company may come back with a more lucrative offer.

Unigel, the Brazilian commodity chemical producer, is planning a cross-border bond debut that would replace all of its existing debt, according to rating agency reports.

The low rates in Europe are making the euro high yield market an attractive option for US issuers like Belden, a St Louis-based manufacturer of telecoms equipment, which is launching a new euro bond to buy back old deals in euros and dollars. More US issuers are coming to euros, say bankers and investors.

Standard Chartered has hired a JP Morgan banker to lead part of its North American corporates team.

European implied equity volatility has fallen after Angela Merkel secured a fourth term as German chancellor and despite Italy's general election producing a hung parliament.

Toronto Dominion Bank this week issued a €1.25bn short five year euro covered bond with a modest concession that matched the record tightest Canadian euro covered bond spread, albeit with a rather low subscription ratio.

One of the Venezuela analysts most keenly followed by the country’s bondholders will lead opposition candidate Henri Falcón’s economic team in the run up to this year’s presidential elections, which the largest opposition party is boycotting.

Chinese after-school education provider OneSmart International Education Group has filed an IPO prospectus with the US market regulator for a New York Stock Exchange listing of up to $300m.