Brazil

Brazil’s largest private sector lender Banco Itaú was unable to tighten pricing from initial price thoughts on its return to bond markets on Monday as investors remain hesitant to add risk in choppy markets.

Brazilian mining giant Vale is continuing its liability management efforts, with a tender offer for up to $1.75bn of two bonds maturing in 2021 and 2022, having already decided to exercise its right to redeem all of its 2020s.

Petrochemicals company Unigel has set initial price thoughts of 8% for its planned seven year international bond debut. The deal may provide the best indicator yet of how market appetite for Lat Am credit was affected by February’s volatility.

Brazil’s largest private sector lender Banco Itaú sold $750m of additional tier one notes on Monday, just three months after its most recent issuance in the format.

Unigel, the Brazilian petrochemicals company, became the first Latin American corporate name to announce deal plans since early February, and bankers say this will provide a far tougher test of market sentiment than Paraguay's deal.

Brazilian energy company Petrobras has tapped the loan market for a $4.35bn revolving credit facility from 17 banks.

After yet another quiet day in Latin American bond markets on Monday, syndicate bankers said that the return of new issuance after a more than two week hiatus would likely commence after two key speeches from Jay Powell, the new US Federal Reserve chair.

Two Latin American companies on the path to recovery from precarious situations have found themselves somewhat stuck in their liability management efforts because of tougher conditions in new issue markets.

Brazilian steel producer CSN (Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional) has more than halved the size of a planned tender offer after completing a smaller than intended bond issue last week amid market volatility.

Four Latin American issuers ventured into cross-border markets on Thursday after a deceptively calm Wednesday, only to be faced with a wave of volatility that had investors worried and led to wider pricing.

Bond market participants said on Wednesday said that Latin American issuers could return in force on Thursday after another day of calm in markets.

Mexican state-owned oil giant Pemex attracted a huge book for its eagerly-anticipated dollar market return on Thursday as bond investors pile into the region’s credits despite major elections looming.