Bank of America

Just two benchmark issuers — Mars and Hewlett-Packard Enterprises — came to the US corporate bond market this week, as earnings season pushed corporate America into blackout. But after a short lull, bankers expect a spike in issuance as companies try to fund before the US election.

Banks are leading a revival in ECM business in India, with Yes Bank gunning for $2bn this week. There are also signs of activity in the country’s moribund IPO market, writes Jonathan Breen.

Troubled lender Yes Bank has hit the market with an issue of fresh equity, with the deal covered at the open by pre-launch demand, according to bankers close to the trade.

US corporate bond issuers got straight back to business after the July 4 weekend as 11 borrowers raised $10.8bn, though the volume of issuance is tapering off as companies head into earnings blackouts.

China’s leading detergent maker Blue Moon Group Holdings is planning to float in Hong Kong for around $1bn, according to a source close to the deal.

Takeda Pharmaceutical was the standout issuer as US high grade corporate bond issuance ground to a halt this week, ahead of the July 4 holiday.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the Italian-American crossover-rated car company, launched €3.5bn of bonds into the market on Tuesday, days after its Italian arm had agreed €6.3bn of bailout funds guaranteed by Italy.

Europe’s high grade bond market provided some mixed indications of sentiment on Monday with the deals for Takeda and SEE seeing notable differences in demand, leaving syndicate bankers trying to work out what this means for what is expected to be a busy week of issuance.

Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world’s largest brewer, received far below the €5.3bn-equivalent it had offered to buy back through a tender offer, as analysts still expect its leverage to remain at nosebleed levels for a company with a BBB+ rating.

Agora is looking to raise up to $315m from its Nasdaq IPO, having begun bookbuilding for the deal.

Kangji Medical Holdings has bagged HK$3.59bn ($464.2m) after pricing its Hong Kong listing at the top of the marketed range.

Online casino gaming company DoubleDown Interactive has set the terms for its Nasdaq IPO, preparing the first South Korean listing on a US bourse in nearly a decade.