Euro

Activity in the covered bond primary market continued at a brisk pace on Wednesday as RBC, DG Hyp, Caffil and Erste Bank priced transactions, taking the deal count this week to 10. Despite mixed receptions, issuers have been able to raise over €7bn, with over €3bn issued on Wednesday, and at levels that look attractive compared to senior unsecured financials.

The European Banking Authority said it has been asked by the European Commission to conduct further analysis on the Net Stable Funding Requirement (NSFR) and Leverage Ratio. The European Covered Bond Council had previously stated the NSFR proposal was unhelpful to the covered bond industry.

Bayerische Landesbank has mandated leads for a euro denominated public sector backed covered bond that is likely to be launched on Thursday.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) has published a consent solicitation to convert seven hard bullet covered bonds to soft bullets. The Australian issuer follows a handful of other borrowers that have undertaken similar exercises and comes amid speculation that Stadshypotek could be poised to follow.

Royal Bank of Canada has mandated joint leads for its second euro benchmark covered bond of the year.

Santander was set to issue a €1bn seven year deal on Tuesday which offered less new issue concession than competing deals. With a low oversubscription level, rival bankers suggested investors may be able to pick up bonds more cheaply in the secondary market.

Compagnie de Financement Fonciere returned to the covered bond market on Tuesday with a €1.5bn seven year. Its fourth transaction of the year was the least oversubscribed of any it has launched since February 2012.

Danske Bank returned to the covered bond market on Tuesday to issue a €1bn five year that offered an attractive concession not only to its own curve, but more conspicuously against core covered bonds that, unlike Danske’s deal, are eligible for the European Central Bank’s purchasing programme (CBPP3).

UniCredit Bank Austria returned to the covered bond market on Tuesday to issue the first Austrian Pfandbrief since February. The transaction was well received, and sends a positive signal to other Austrian issuers that had been hit following the Heta debt moratorium. A day earlier Commerzbank priced the first 10 year since April.

Sparebank 1 Boligkreditt adopted a cautious strategy when pricing its new seven year bond on Friday. The borrower offered a defensive high single digit new issue premium which bankers say has led to a repricing of its curve. Rival bankers said could have an affect on the Norwegian supply which is building in the pipeline. However, bankers on the deal said that the impact was minimal and that pricing was in line with other recent issues.

OP Mortgage Bank made a successful return to the covered bond market on Friday, taking advantage of improved market conditions to print a €1bn seven year soft bullet.

Crédit Agricole ended a month long euro covered bond drought on Thursday, leaping on improved market conditions to print a €1.25bn six year soft bullet with a minimal new issue concession. Bankers say the deal proves there is plenty of demand and will help to relieve pressure on the pipeline which has been building up this week.