Euro

DBRS has requested market participants to comment on its new covered bond rating methodology which takes account of the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive (BRRD). In contrast to the other main agencies the proposed approach is refreshingly straightforward, transparent and easily explained.

The covered bonds of Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena (BMPS) rallied by 20bp on Friday as speculation mounted that Fitch would not downgrade the bonds to sub-investment grade, as had been feared.

It will take a courageous issuer to re-open the euro benchmark covered bond market, despite notable improvements in rates and a reduction in volatility. Whoever comes will have to start the pricing process with a generous new issue concession and though many issuers are monitoring conditions, no one has pulled the trigger yet.

GlobalCapital presents its annual Corporate Bond Awards 2015. These Awards are determined entirely by a poll of market participants, and celebrate the outstanding issuers, investment banks and rating agencies in the European high yield market between May 2014 and April 2015. GlobalCapital congratulates all the winners and nominees.

The European Central Bank has expressed concern about extreme rates volatility. But until it stops buying and allows the private sector to become re-established, its true mission as liquidity provider of last resort will remain in conflict with its determination to expand its balance sheet.

The dollar market continued to sustain covered bonds on Wednesday as DNB mandated leads for a five year, a day after ANZ issued $1.25bn in the same tenor. The Australian bank got better execution than would have been achieved in euros and could have priced even tighter. The excellent result is testimony to the issuer’s long absence and to the depth of demand evident across the dollar fixed income market.

NordLB reopened its four year public sector backed Pfandbrief on Wednesday in a move which locks in cheap funding. But the 10bp yield offers little buffer in a market characterised by rate volatility.

The Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive was supposed to be universally good for covered bonds because they are excluded from being bailed in. But on Wednesday and Thursday Moody’s and Fitch took opposing views on Allied Irish Banks due to the implementation of their methodologies that take account of the same new regime.

Ålandsbanken priced a €250m no-grow five year Finnish covered bond on Tuesday after an extensive marketing period. The trade offered a decent pick up over where the comparables named by the leads were quoted.

Leads KSK Koeln, LBBW, and WGZ opened books on an €250m eight year Pfandbrief for Kreissparkasse Koeln (KSK Koeln) on Monday as Bund futures showed signs of stability. Nordic issuers are circling and could take advantage of better conditions ahead of an EU meeting on Greece at the end of this week.

Despite the unexpectedly positive market tone on Thursday, bankers say that euro benchmark covered bonds are unlikely next week, as new issue premiums would need to be hefty. Several issuers are lining up for sub-benchmark trades however, and the sterling and dollar markets remain a possibility.

The German Pfandbrief market continues to shrink, driven by a decline in the public sector, which is now almost the same size as the growing mortgage sector, according to the first quarter cover pool data recently published by the Association of German Pfandbrief banks (VDP).