Banks

UK coach operator National Express has entered the US private placement market, according to market sources, looking for £200m-equivalent, in dollars, euros and sterling.

Ghana Cocoa Board (Cocobod) has closed its annual refinancing, securing a $1.3bn facility from a range of international lenders. The facility, Cocobod's second international borrowing this year, has tighter margins than last year's round, illustrating a healthy appetite for one of Africa's most frequent borrowers.

Kaspi.kz, the Kazakh payments group, is preparing to list global depositary receipts (GDRs) on the London Stock Exchange this autumn, as EM deals provide a brief glimmer of hope for the UK capital as Brexit volatility has killed the hopes of many UK issuers.

Bankers were surprised that the African Development Bank placed a one year bond last week linked to environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors.

Chinese logistics company Best has sealed a $175m convertible bond, benefitting from a jumbo anchor order from Alibaba Group Holding.

Ireland has extended its curve out to 2119 by placing its second century bond, three years after it sold its first in the tenor. Century and ultra-long dated bonds have seen a resurgence of interest this year as issuers look to lock in low interest rates at long dated maturities.

Chinese acoustic components maker GoerTek is making a comeback to the loan market after a two-year break, seeking $300m for refinancing.

CIMB Group has rejigged its top management team across multiple divisions and hired a new chief executive officer for its Islamic banking operation.

Keppel DC Real Estate Investment Trust has launched a one-day sale of new units to raise up to S$235.4m ($171.3m) to fund the purchase of two Singapore properties.

China’s JA Solar Holdings, which was taken private last year, has returned to the offshore loan market, inviting banks to join a $100m facility.

The Kerry Group, the Irish Baa2/BBB+ rated food and beverage company, became the first European investment grade company to issue bonds after the European Central Bank meeting on Thursday.

The African Development Bank has issued its first offshore renminbi bond, in what the supranational has described as a ‘strategic objective’ in response to a growing investor base for the currency.