Crédit Agricole

Ford Motor Credit and Aéroports de Paris issued investment grade corporate bonds in Europe on Tuesday, while Spie joined them with an IG-style but high yield-rated deal.

Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (CDC) on Tuesday came to market with its debut sustainable bond, the first under its new green, social and sustainable framework.

Umicore, a Belgian materials technology and recycling group, has sold US private placements via MUFG, according to sources. Continental European borrowers appear to be ramping up activity in the US private placement market once more, with Umicore following Brussels Airport and Ipsen.

China General Nuclear Power Group is tapping the international loan market for a $500m deal after an absence of almost 30 years.

Eutelsat, the Baa3/BBB- rated satellite company, launched a benchmark eight year euro bond on Thursday, into a market kept empty by the European Central Bank's press conference. Bilfinger and Cabot were the only other corporate issuers.

Logistics provider ESR Cayman launched what will be the Hong Kong Stock Exchange’s biggest IPO of 2019 so far on Wednesday, seeking to raise up to HK$9.76bn ($1.24bn) as hopes of US rate cuts opened a clear window in otherwise trade war-weary markets. Gina Lee reports.

Investors proved their appetite for corporate bonds this week by gobbling €5bn of them on a single day, as Publicis Groupe and BMW issued jumbo deals on a second consecutive day of heavy issuance in Europe.

Warburg Pincus-backed logistics manager ESR Cayman opened books on Wednesday for what will be the biggest float in Hong Kong so far this year.

After 10 days of very scanty issuance and some weak markets, more stable conditions on Tuesday brought a salvo of five deals to the euro corporate bond market, offering a wide range of single-A and triple-B credits.

Russian potash fertiliser Uralkali has signed its five year $1.45bn-equivalent loan with 13 lenders joining the syndicate. With Uralkali and Suek now signed, lenders have started to prepare for EuroChem.

French pharmaceutical firm Ipsen is holding a roadshow for possible US private placement notes this week, according to market sources.

A pair of Middle Eastern banks, Emirates NBD and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, both placed short-dated sterling MTNs this week.