Banks
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US medical technology company Stryker had to wait longer than it planned for its debut in the European corporate bond market, but when the chance to launch the deal came on Tuesday, it achieved the hat-trick of tranches it was aiming for with an extra one added for good measure. -
French postal operator La Poste saved the corporate bond market in Europe from registering a blank week when it sold its first green bond last Friday. On Wednesday, Deutsche Post followed its peer’s lead by announcing a deal with the same tenor.
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Bond bankers have been gripped by moves by Ben Smyth, a UBS FIG DCM banker, to take the bank to a tribunal, alleging that the global head of debt capital markets, Amir Hoveyda, had been involved in an “inappropriate transaction” and that Smyth had been bullied and passed over for promotion.
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Four borrowers piled into the dollar bond market on Thursday, adding to one of the busiest weeks of the year despite tough market conditions. UK telecoms company BT led the charge with a $1.35bn two-part deal.
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A pair of socially responsible deals from public sector borrowers failed to set the market alight this week. The order books were only marginally oversubscribed and the spreads did not tighten from the initial price thoughts.
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The European Investment Bank this week brought its first dollar floating rate note linked to the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (Sofr) — the likely replacement for dollar Libor — and set two landmarks for the fledgling benchmark. But one of those, on the coupon calculation, truly sets it apart from the other Sofr FRNs to come so far. As Craig McGlashan reports, it also creates an intriguing market choice as the financial sector prepares for a world without Libor.
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International uproar over Russia seizing three Ukrainian navy ships last weekend did not stop Russia selling a €1bn 2.875% 2025 bond on Tuesday. But investor fears are growing ever higher over the likelihood of further US sanctions on the country. Russia’s pivot away from dollars seems to indicate the same concerns. Francesca Young, Sam Kerr and Lewis McLellan report.
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NatWest Markets has hired a senior BNP Paribas rates trader to head its US dollar linear rates trading team.
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Defensive formats and short maturities found favour among FIG issuers this week, with new senior offerings from ABN Amro and Commerzbank. But there was no doubting that new issue premiums remain high in the euro market.
