Banks

There were no issues of competing supply on Tuesday as three eurozone sovereigns amassed big order books, buoyed by last week’s expansion of the Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme (Pepp).

Northern Powergrid, the UK energy distribution company, brought the longest sterling deal of the year so far with a 42 year trade on Tuesday, as syndicate bankers say that European investors are keen to see more long duration trades.

Raiffeisen Bank International launched a tier two bond in euros on Tuesday with investors still showing strong appetite for risk. But a smaller order book for the trade suggested that market conditions might be softening compared with recent trading sessions.

The Republic of Albania returned to the euro bond markets on Tuesday after more than a year and a half away, seeking a seven year deal.

KBC Group made use on Tuesday of strong investor appetite for green bonds, launching a callable senior deal with a negative new issue concession.

The coronavirus crisis may have hit overall covered bond supply prospects, but it has provided a silver lining for some banks — such as Credit Suisse, ING and Commerzbank which have all fared well in the covered bond league tables this year.

Egypt’s debut green bond, which had been expected to come to market in the first half of the year, is on hold, according to sources. But although the coronavirus pandemic has impacted issuance for issuers such as Egypt, the green bond market is far from dead.

UniCredit is only the second Italian bank to have accessed public primary bond markets during the coronavirus pandemic, but other lenders from the periphery of the eurozone are now lining up to bring deals of their own.

Bohai Bank’s Hong Kong IPO application was being considered by the stock exchange’s listing committee on Tuesday, according to a source close to the deal.

Hong Kong’s Champion Reit sold a tightly priced $300m bond on Monday, enticing investors with its rarity in the international market.

Korea Electric Power Corp (Kepco) returned to the green bond market on Monday, raising $500m on the back of a book that was 10 times oversubscribed.

Central China Real Estate and Greenland Holding Group Co raised a combined $900m in the international debt market on Monday.