Euro

Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) returned to the covered bond market for the fifth time this year, and its second time in euros, to issue a €1.5bn benchmark five year on Tuesday. The deal priced with a concession to where the only other Canadian euro five year was trading — but offered a negligible new issue premium.

Bankers hope for more covered bond deals this week, though they do not expect the wave of primary issuance to continue. The secondary market is well supported, especially for peripheral names, though the multi-Cédulas rally has lost momentum and the sector could be susceptible to profit taking.

OTP Mortgage Bank opened books on a €500m floating rate covered bond on Thursday morning, and set guidance on the mortgage backed deal at 190bp over three month Euribor.

Covered bond primary activity took off on Thursday after the US government voted to extend the debt ceiling deadline to February 7 next year. As many as four issuers from Italy, Hungary, New Zealand and Canada opened books for new benchmarks. But the star turn was Italy’s Banca Carige which, despite strong headwinds, attracted a resounding endorsement from investors for its first deal since March 2011.

After roadshowing nearly four months ago, New Zealand’s ASB Bank finally took the plunge and opened books for a €500m five year deal on Thursday. Despite a high rating and fair spread, the deal competed head on with Banca Carige (see other story) and found only a tepid investor response. At the same time, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce opened books for a long three year denominated in Aussie dollars.

HSBC has returned to the covered bond market for the second time this year with a seven year deal which, like its earlier transaction, was notable for its breadth and depth of demand.

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria has begun updating the value of properties backing mortgage loans collateralised in its Cédulas. Though this is likely to lead to a decrease in the overcollaterlisation (OC) ratio, Moody’s applauded the move as it will improve transparency on the credit quality of the cover pool assets.

Banca Carige has mandated leads for a potential euro-denominated covered bond (Obbligazioni Bancarie Garantite) benchmark transaction, which could be launched on Thursday just as the US debt ceiling deadline falls due.

Despite the close proximity of the US debt deadline on Thursday, the covered bond market was stable and well supported on Tuesday, said bankers, who are waiting for imminent deal mandates from Austria and Italy.

This week’s three Italian covered bond issues continued to outperform in secondary trading on Friday while the primary market paused for breath. Meanwhile, Moody’s has put Credito Emiliano’s mortgage covered bonds on review for downgrade, highlighting the benefits of smaller Italian banks coming to market before further rating moves.

Two issuers succeeded with covered bond debuts on Thursday. Mediobanca’s choice of a 10 year maturity for its inaugural deal was vindicated when it priced a €1bn benchmark comfortably inside guidance, while Commerzbank’s first foray into the mortgage Pfandbrief market enjoyed the smooth execution expected of a leading German bank.

Italy’s Mediobanca decided not to press ahead with a covered bond debut on Wednesday as the Republic of Italy launched a seven year BTP on the same day. Instead the issuer is expected to launch a deal targeting the mid to long end of the curve on Thursday, when it is likely to be joined by Commerzbank, which has mandated for a seven year mortgage Pfandbrief.