Americas

Now there’s a chance that the marginalised and downtrodden voters of rust belt America will get what they really want — a wholesale dismantling of the post-crisis banking regulation — the finance industry must ask itself if that’s what it really wants.

The speed and success of Sibanye Gold in closing a loan to back its acquisition of US palladium miner Stillwater, has put South Africa in focus for bankers amid talk that two other acquisition deals out of the country could follow soon.

Law firm Latham & Watkins has strengthened its practice in New York, with the addition of a Mandarin speaking partner to its corporate department and financial institutions group.

Peruvian government owned mortgage lender Fondo Mivivienda is planning to issue both dollar and nuevo sol-denominated bonds on Tuesday in its first international bond sale for nearly three years.

Brazilian mining giant Vale took advantage of a huge recovery in iron ore prices since Donald Trump won the US presidential election to tap its 2026s some 105bp inside where it first issued the bonds in August.

The solid performance of last week’s Latin American new issues will give heart to an Argentine corporate borrower looking to bring a new bond on Monday.

Singapore-based credit research provider Lucror Analytics has hired two experienced rating agency officials as it looks to launch a Latin America service in May.

Droit Financial Technologies, a New York-based regulatory financial technology firm focused on over-the-counter derivatives, has made a senior hire in London as part of a European business drive.

Brazilian railway operator Rumo wrapped up another busy day for Latin American new issues on Thursday with a $750m seven year non-call four deal that came well inside initial price thoughts.

Food producer Sigma Alimentos, a subsidiary of Mexican conglomerate Grupo Alfa, sold the first Mexican new issue of 2017 on Thursday — increasing the size from €500m to €600m and tightening pricing 25bp-37.5bp from guidance.

The Province of Buenos Aires (PBA) will meet bond investors on Monday and Tuesday next week ahead of a planned dollar-denominated benchmark as Argentine issuers continue to dominate the Lat Am primary market.

Aeropuertos Argentina 2000’s new 10 year bond traded up more than a point and a half this week, and lender Banco Supervielle sold $300m of peso-linked bonds to underscore continued demand for Argentine credit.