Americas

Another blow to credibility in Brazil sent the sovereign’s bonds tumbling on Tuesday after former president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva looked set to accept a ministerial position in Brazil’s government just a week after prosecutors requested his arrest as part of a corruption investigation.

Markit has launched a service that allows banks to affirm over-the-counter foreign exchange trades executed by interdealer brokers.

Western Digital, the US computer data storage manufacturer, had bank meetings Wednesday in London for its $9.5bn loan package, backing its $17bn acquisition of SanDisk.

In another European healthcare M&A deal, three banks have increased their commitments in a loan which veterinary pharmaceuticals company Dechra will use for a US acquisition.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch has promoted a new head of global capital markets from its leveraged finance division.

Beverage company Femsa became the third Mexican company in a week to sell euro denominated bonds on Monday, jumping on an ECB-driven rally in credit markets to sell €1bn of seven year paper.

Proposed changes to US financial adviser rules could ban options use in retirement accounts, leaving investors exposed and quashing a growing market.

In a reversal of fortunes, asset managers became net buyers across major commodities this week, responding to tightening credit spreads.

TriOptima the over-the-counter post-trade service provider, has torn up more than $750tr in notional principal outstanding contracts since it launched its compression service for OTC derivatives in 2003, the firm said on Monday.

Diebold, the US cash machine (ATM) manufacturer, had bank meetings this week for its $1.3bn term loan ‘B’, backing its $1.8bn acquisition of Wincor Nixdorf.

Costa Rica based lender Banco Bac San José is looking to syndicate a slice of a $75m borrowing in Asia, sending out an outline of the loan to prospective participants in the region on Monday.

Brazil’s emphatic return to international bond markets on Thursday was likely designed to encourage its non-sovereign issuers to the market, said Lat Am bond bankers, although some questioned whether these deals would materialise.