BNP Paribas

Mergers and acquisitions are set to be an important driver of corporate bond issuance this autumn. Deal mandates are already building up — in fact, M&A is the driver for virtually all the deals that have yet appeared in Europe’s corporate bond pipeline this season.

Agence Française de Développement has hired banks to arrange a string of investor meetings in Europe before a potential debut climate bond in euros.

Svenska Handelsbanken prefaced what is expected to be a busy September for Samurai issuance on Thursday. The issuer drew an oversubscribed book for a five tranche deal, with more deals expected to follow as issuers look to take advantage of a favourable basis swap.

Volvo was the only corporate borrower to issue a bond in euros last week. On Thursday this week, it sold another one, confounding expectations in some quarters that last week’s €300m tap would be the last of its funding this year.

Volvo was the only corporate borrower to issue a bond in euros last week – today, it sold another one, confounding expectations in some quarters that last week’s €300m tap would be the last of its funding this year.

Svenska Handelsbanken sold its second ever Samurai print on Thursday, drawing a comfortably subscribed order book for a five tranche deal. BNP Paribas is expected to follow the issuer into the yen market next week, helping boost an already strong year for Samurai volumes.

The Republic of South Africa has set investor meetings in September for its debut international sukuk, solidifying its plans to issue among the flurry of sovereign Islamic notes expected before the end of this year.

Perusahaan Gas Negara has wrapped up its $650m club loan with eight banks. Allocations for the deal’s onshore tranche stood at $590m, while those for the offshore tranche were $60m.

Indian company Rural Electrification Corp has launched into general syndication the $170m greenshoe portion of its five year loan. The funds for the original $230m have already been provided by the six bookrunners and mandated lead arrangers and the $170m greenshoe is being syndicated on a best efforts basis.

Swiss Re and UniCredit are looking to be the first out of the door in the post-summer subordinated debt market, taking advantage of the recent rally in credit after European Central Bank president Mario Draghi’s comments earlier in the week gave investors confidence that the bank would enhance its measures to boost weak eurozone inflation.

BMW reopened the European benchmark investment grade corporate bond new issue market today with a punchy €1.75bn deal that proved one thing and suggested another. The market is fully open for business after the summer – that is certain. And the signs are that spreads – and especially yields – for corporate issuers are set for a very tight autumn.

Three more lenders have joined the $650m club loan for Indonesian gas distribution company Perusahaan Gas Negara (PGN). Allocations for the fundraising are likely to be issued by this week, said bankers.