Banks

Citi has named Francisco Abularach and Todd Guenther as co-heads of global infrastructure investment banking.

The euro covered bond market is ‘wide open’ for any UK bank following a successful transaction this week from Yorkshire Building Society (YBS) and before that, Lloyds Bank. This supply could also provide a vital stepping stone to the first UK senior deal in euros this year, said bankers.

Irish Residential Properties Reit (Ires Reit) has refinanced and enlarged its revolving bank debt, with the residential retail accommodation investment trust agreeing an up to €600m facility with lenders.

Royal Bank of Scotland Group was marketing a long-dated senior bond in the dollar market on Thursday, copying Barclay’s choice of currency with its first deal after results.

UK security and outsourcing company G4S has sold roughly $350m of US private placements with seven and 10 year maturities, as the market shows it still has an appetite for UK support services.

Saudi Telecom Company has tightened price guidance for its debut international sukuk, a dollar 10 year that has already drawn a book of around $3.5bn.

Finablr has set a range on its London IPO, valuing the business at a more conservative multiple than many had expected when the roadshow began. That will please prospective buyers, some of whom were also impressed with an appearance from the company’s billionaire owner, BR Shetty.

The consortium constructing Paraguay’s portion of the Bioceanico highway, which will connect the Pacific and Atlantic oceans across South America, hit screens on Wednesday announcing a bond to finance construction.

Allegro, the Polish e-commerce platform, is raising Z2bn (€470m) in a dividend recapitalisation, according to bankers. The deal, one of the biggest CEE loans in this year’s pipeline, is being led by three local and international lenders, although some market participants said the Polish banks would be capable of providing all the money.

Stephanie Sfakianos, BNPP’s head of sustainable capital markets, is retiring from BNP Paribas after 15 years with the bank.

BASF’s oil and gas unit Wintershall and rival DEA have completed their merger, creating the largest independent oil and gas company in Europe, paving the way for a blockbuster IPO on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in 2020.

Viva Biotech Holdings has pulled off an impressive HK$1.52bn ($194m) Hong Kong IPO, striking retail gold as the local public swamped the deal, grabbing half of the stock for themselves. The high level of retail interest is a rarity for IPOs in the city and something that is often unwanted, bringing potential wild price swings to a stock soon after listing, say some bankers. But others foresee enough institutional demand to swallow any bulk selling in the first days of trading. Jonathan Breen reports.