Colombia

Colombia has increased its external funding programme for the year to over $10bn after forecasting a larger 2021 fiscal deficit than it recorded in 2020, exacerbating concerns about the government’s ability to maintain its investment grade credit rating.

Colombian state-owned oil and gas company Ecopetrol said it would issue new debt and equity to fund a proposed takeover of the government’s 51.41% stake in conglomerate ISA (Interconexión Eléctria), should the finance ministry accept its offer.

Colombia’s public credit head told GlobalCapital that the sovereign had wanted to move quickly to get ahead of potential volatility as it printed $2.84bn of new bonds this week as part of a liability management operation. The official said that the early-year sell-off in US Treasuries had not tainted what was a strong issuance window.

Colombia tapped international bond markets for the first time since June this week. But it is the country's domestic bond market — which is 25% owned by foreign investors — that could be in for a particularly notable year, with the sovereign set to turn to pesos for its debut green bond in July. It is also laying the ground for a social bond and a government bond ETF.

Two of Latin America’s most established borrowers, the Colombian sovereign and Brazilian bank Itaú, returned to international bond markets on Tuesday. Though both issues were priced roughly as expected, bankers on and away from the trades said there were signs that Lat Am’s roaring start to 2021 was losing steam.

Banco Santander has become the 14th primary dealer in the domestic Colombian government bond market, said the finance ministry, representing the first expansion of the sovereign’s market makers since 2016.

Despite funding stresses in certain Latin American countries, bond markets will continue to help the region with its financing needs. For now, this eases the pressure for reform and fiscal consolidation, but issuers must eventually face up to political and social turbulence. Oliver West reports.

Banco de la República (BanRep), the central bank of Colombia, has elected a former board member as its next governor, in a move unlikely to signal any major changes in the bank’s policy.

Latin American power generation company EnfraGen debuted in the international bond markets on Wednesday, benefiting from the strong performance from the region’s last power sector issue to price inside where some investors were expecting — despite a leverage ratio of nine times.

Colombia’s finance ministry said on Wednesday evening that it had taken the “first step to entering the bond market for sustainable development” after Congress approved the issue of thematic bonds.

Latin American power generation company EnfraGen will look to sell $710m of split-rated 10 year senior secured notes this week, nearly three years after it postponed an earlier attempt at tapping bond markets.

Two corporate deals on Monday and a tiny tap from a Paraguayan beef exporter on Wednesday were all investors had to choose from in Latin American primary bond markets this week as issuance remains light ahead of the US elections next month.