Citi

Barclays appoints levfin and sponsors leaders — Créd Ag gives Goldfischer UK role — BTIG hires Huggins

Yankee banks ensured a record-breaking first half ended on a high, as European lenders took advantage of strong demand for tier two paper.

Takeda Pharmaceutical was the standout issuer as US high grade corporate bond issuance ground to a halt this week, ahead of the July 4 holiday.

Europe’s high grade market finally found a solid footing on Thursday after days of scrabbling for purchase, with the biggest trades of the day landing flat or through fair value.

Poland has become the first CEEMEA country outside the eurozone to sell a bond with a negative yield since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

National Grid Electricity Transmission, the UK power transmission company, was out with a dual tranche trade on Thursday, including the first test of the conventional sterling benchmark market in more than a month.

Bayer, the German life sciences company, enjoyed blow-out demand for its €6bn multi-tranche bond issue on Wednesday, days after agreeing to pay up to $10.9bn to settle a lawsuit over claims its weedkiller, Roundup, causes cancer.

Samantha Huggins has joined BTIG, in the latest hire by the firm for its equities team in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Ukraine was set to issue a highly anticipated bond on Wednesday, having started pricing with what some experts called "impressive" initial price thoughts. The deal follows one from Poland, which secured three year money at a negative yield in euros on Tuesday.

Royal Vopak, the Dutch oil and gas storage company, is marketing senior and subordinated private placements, according to market sources.

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and Hikma, a Jordanian company listed in London, hit screens this week, raking in cash and proving appetite for credits along the rating spectrum.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development raised some eyebrows with an aggressive spread for its three year dollar benchmark, but the issuer was able to pull in enough demand to print $500m more than anticipated.