Euro

Fitch has revised its outlook on Spain’s credit rating to positive despite the sovereign facing a potentially destabilising referendum in October.

Greece is set to make its much rumoured return to the debt markets this week, bringing a new five year bond alongside a switch and tender offer for its original comeback issue, an April 2019 sold three years ago. Bankers away from the trade expect the trade to go well, despite coming just as the summer slowdown is set to start.

Just one borrower occupied European high yield bond pipeline at the start of this week giving the impression the market is about to slow for summer. Bain Capital’s hygiene product supplier Diamond, is out on a roadshow.

DS Smith was warmly welcomed back to the European corporate bond markets by investors, nearly two years after its inaugural deal. The UK packaging company received a strong orderbook for its euro tranche, but an even stronger book for its debut sterling tranche.

Italian electricity network operator Terna brought its first new issue of 2017 on Wednesday and benefitted from strong demand for triple-B rated bonds. The €1bn 10 year deal had an orderbook of €1.6bn and printed with a new issue premium of 8bp-10bp.

Tranche 1: €3bn Reg S only

Eurofins Scientific and Thermo Fisher Scientific both held investor update calls on Monday — and both announced deals on Tuesday. The science double bill proved no horror story, though, with investors clamouring for unrated Eurofins as well as Thermo Fisher’s jumbo multi-tranche deal.

Thermo Fisher Scientific announced in May that it was to acquire Patheon for $7.2bn, including $2bn of net debt. Thermo Fisher expected to finance the deal with $5.2bn of debt and $2bn of equity. On Tuesday it put a big dent in the debt figure with a €2.6bn four tranche corporate bond offer.

Steinhoff Europe made its debut in senior euro corporate bond markets on Monday and was the only issuer to offer investors a transaction on the day. The €750m 7.5 year deal followed a European roadshow last week.

ADO Properties made its debut in the corporate bond market on Thursday, following a roadshow earlier in the week. The €400m seven year deal provided further supply for investors keen to buy higher yielding triple-B rated credits, but the supply line is fading into the summer sun faster than the demand.

For months investors have been complaining about how far pricing moves from initial price thoughts to guidance and again in final pricing in the corporate bond market. On Wednesday, Vodafone responded with a new approach to marketing. The response, however, was not what those involved expected, writes Nigel Owen.

The European Central Bank stayed true to its course at a governing council meeting on Thursday, producing no changes to its policy statement and striking a dovish tone in the subsequent press conference.