Strike up the band! Underwriting returns to European syndicated loan market

Underwritings have been absent in the loan market over the last six months. New money lending has been dominated by clubbed and short-term term transactions. But K+S’s Eu1.4bn loan — for its $1.7bn takeover of Morton Salt — is different, the first proper underwrite seen in Europe this year. But while it is undoubtedly encouraging news, it’s too early to tell whether it heralds a return to the good old days in the syndicated loan market.