Bank of America

Bank of America Merrill Lynch built on a strong run in Australian dollars on Wednesday, drawing an oversubscribed order book for a 5.5 year print. The strength of demand for the deal — along with other recent deals from FIG issuers in the currency — suggests that appetite from domestic investors for further deals remains robust.

The additional tier one deal pipeline may have shuddered back into life earlier than expected this week as two banks announced roadshows following a rally inspired by inspired by dovish comments from European Central Bank president Mario Draghi. But volatility has since set back into the market and looks ready to test the asset class’s hardiness, writes Graham Bippart.

The supranational and agency issuers that reopened benchmark issuance in dollars this week enjoyed strong demand as investors starved of supply scrambled to put their cash to work.

Concerns that there would be a dearth of additional tier one (AT1) deals ahead of the European Central Bank’s Asset Quality Review appear to be receding as Santander joins the pipeline, mandating leads for its second euro denominated AT1.

Mergers and acquisitions are set to be an important driver of corporate bond issuance this autumn, as deal mandates start to build up.

Swiss Re and UniCredit are looking to be the first out of the door in the post-summer subordinated debt market, taking advantage of the recent rally in credit after European Central Bank president Mario Draghi’s comments earlier in the week gave investors confidence that the bank would enhance its measures to boost weak eurozone inflation.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch built on a strong run in Australian dollars on Wednesday, drawing an oversubscribed order book for a five and a half year print. The strength of demand for the deal — along with other recent deals from FIG issuers in the currency — suggests that appetite from domestic investors for further deals remains robust.

BMW left rival borrowers standing in its wake with a prompt dual tranche bond issue yesterday that raised €1.75bn from a €5bn book, showing that Europe’s corporate bond market is wide open for business.

World Bank sold a callable green bond to US retail investors this week as part of an effort to increase its presence in the US market. The structured print comes at a time of strong demand for callable notes from supranational and agency issuers, according to MTN dealers.

Bhira Investments, a subsidiary of Tata Power, has opened a $460m 18 month loan into general syndication as part of a $560m fundraising. The deal is already generating a lot of interest thanks to the generous pricing for what is a short tenor borrowing.

Bank of America has reached a record $17bn settlement with the US Department of Justice, federal agencies and six states, showing the extent to which litigation risk still dominates bank performance. The settlement comes hot on the heels of Citigroup’s $7bn settlement last month and the $9bn fine paid by BNP Paribas over sanctions violations.

Santiago de Chile bus operator Inversiones Alsacia missed a payment due on its dollar bonds on Monday and said it had reached the beginnings of a restructuring agreement with bondholders. The issuer went on to launch a scathing attack on Chilean authorities for changes in the concession that led to its weak financial position.