Barclays

Euro investors have become more receptive to UK bank debt this year, leading to a blowout reception for a covered bond from Yorkshire Building Society this week. But issuers are yet to break a long period of silence in sales of unsecured products, mindful as they are of a Brexit hangover in the euro market.

BP on Thursday gave the European corporate bond market its first test of a really big, multi-tranche, investment grade issue since Easter, and showed that the market is every bit as keen as before the break. Order books for the three part bond were big and new issue premiums slim to invisible.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) and European Investment Bank (EIB) swung by the sterling market this week, as a lack of competitive activity and a favourable basis swap proved to be a strong lure for issuers.

William Hill’s £350m seven year high yield deal last week grabbed an opportunity opened up by the extension to the Brexit deadline, according to group treasurer Mark Hirst, supplying a sterling market that has seen sparse issuance so far this year. But the constrained supply in the market meant the company’s attempt to buy back its 2020s at 103 attracted limited investor interest.

EG Group, the UK petrol station company owned by TDR Capital, has boosted the size of its dual currency high yield bond issue, adding a new senior secured euro tranche on the back of high demand. But senior bondholders are getting a rough deal from the size increase, which is being partly used to cut their safety cushion by paying off second lien debt.

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has mandated banks for its inaugural bond, a five year dollar global benchmark.

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.

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 Manchester Airport Group, which owns Manchester, East Midlands and London Stansted airports, launched a £350m bond on Wednesday. In an investment grade corporate bond market that had otherwise been empty of new issues in the first half of the week, the deal was covered more than 3.5 times.

Barclays has wasted little time in accessing the debt markets after publishing first quarter results, selling senior bonds out of its holding company in both dollars and sterling this week.

The Inter-American Development Bank rattled through the sterling bond market on Monday, raising £500m in a market demanding nimble issuance strategies.