Central and Eastern Europe (CEE)

Investors appear to be split over whether or not Turkey will follow through with its proposed purchase of a Russian S-400 missile system, in the face of likely sanctions from the US if it does.

Investors are clear that president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is once again to blame for another tumultuous week in Turkish assets. The country’s fate in the capital markets is in his hands. Investors have been quick to forgive in the past but their patience is not infinite.

Alpha Bank’s subsidiary in Romania has issued its inaugural covered bond (CB) — the first from the country. The ground-breaking deal represents an important milestone in the development of the Romanian capital market and helps diversify the bank’s funding.

Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK), a Russian steelmaker, is embarking on a roadshow to market a dollar benchmark bond with a five to seven year maturity as issuers and investors brush off the risks of further US sanctions on the country.

Emerging market loan volumes continue to suffer with year-to-date volumes down 60% from the same period in 2018. Global economic slowdown and the fear of trade wars, combined with the increasing appeal of the bond market, are dampening the prospects of recovery in the syndicated loan market in 2019.

The Turkish lira this week tumbled to levels it had not seen since last October’s economic crisis after Turkey’s electoral commission (YSK) annulled the results of Istanbul’s municipal elections that had been won by the opposition. Investors said they are concerned that economic reforms will be put on hold and are worried that higher interest rates will prolong the country’s recession.

Sovcomflot, the Russian shipping company, has signed a 10 year loan facility with three international lenders. Russian syndicated loan volumes remain low, but Sovcomflot is widely regarded by bankers as one of the stronger and more established Russian borrowers.

Headhunter Group, the Russian recruitment software firm, priced a $220m IPO on Wednesday in the first new listing from a Russian issuer since November 2017.

GlobalMarketscan reveal that the European Investment Bank is preparing to launch a new entity — potentially called the European Bank for Sustainable Development — that will focus on sustainable projects outside the EU.

Yapı Kredi Bank signed its spring loan refinancing on Thursday, having wrapped up the deal at $1.03bn. Bank of America Merrill Lynch and UniCredit are coordinators of the deal, which has 49 banks participating. The political uncertainty triggered by the decision to re-run the municipal elections in Istanbul has not dented international lenders’ appetite for financing Turkey’s banks.

Russian Railways is embarking on a roadshow to market its first green bond, which DCM bankers say is the first international green bond from the country. It it entering the market despite a round of US sanctions seeming to be on the way.

Investors are aghast that Turkey’s national election board has cancelled the results of the Istanbul mayoral race, which the country's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling party lost in March, and ordered a rerun. The country’s currency and CDS took a hit on Tuesday and is still reeling.