Coronavirus

Trading in CME Group’s Sofr derivatives hit record levels during March, as the exchanges and clearing group enjoyed soaring demand for its futures and cleared swaps.

A trio of agencies hit screens with dollar deals on Tuesday. Bank Nederlandse Gemeenten and CDP Financial tapped the three year part of the curve, while the Ontario Teachers’ Finance Trust reopened a five year market that had been shuttered by coronavirus-related volatility.

Chunky books and shrinking new issue premiums were everywhere in Europe's high grade corporate bond market on Tuesday, as some investors said the market felt like it had found solid ground again after huge moves in recent weeks.

The way Asian states including China have dealt with the coronavirus has put Europe and the US in the shade — now they should lead the international financial fightback.

Ireland impressed on-looking supranational, sovereign and agency bond bankers on Tuesday as it received its largest ever order book for a syndication. It was not the only eurozone sovereign in the market as Cyprus printed seven and 30 year bonds.

The European Investment Bank, the European Stability Mechanism and a new unemployment fund are set to play a part in EU finance minsters’ response to the coronavirus crisis. Coronabonds are likely to be mentioned at their meeting on Tuesday evening, but any concrete plans for mutualised debt look to be elusive at this stage.

Germany’s Finanzagentur has outlined plans to sell its first syndicated bonds since 2015, with a new 15 year in May and a reopening of an existing 30 year bond in June. It said further syndications could follow in the second half of the year as it comes to terms with a much bigger funding programme in response to the Covid-19 crisis.

Outrage has erupted among US progressives at efforts from the private equity industry to ensure their portfolio companies get a piece of government support for corporates. The buyout barons don’t do much to endear themselves to the public, but sponsor funds are just another legal vehicle for owning equity — and there’s no point punishing a company for its owners.

Some M&A bankers said they plan to pull the trigger on deals after the summer if the coronavirus pandemic continues to be contained, though lenders warned that internal credit analysis has become more stringent.

Several of Europe's biggest corporate bond issuers have yet to fund in the market this year, despite the flood of deals as companies hoover up cash to see them through the coronavirus crisis. Vodafone, Electricité de France, Enel and Bayer are among firms yet to issue. However, more of the gaps are being filled up every day.

The Swedish national debt office (Riksgälden) said on Tuesday that banks would have two extra years to raise non-preferred senior debt for their minimum requirements for own funds and eligible liabilities (MREL). The announcement came a day after Svenska Handelsbanken sold an ordinary senior deal in the euro market.

Schuldschein bankers are working out what pricing is fair during the Covid-19 crisis, as investors observe sharp widening in euro bond spreads.