Europe

The Greek government wants to return to the bond markets this year as soon as its latest round of bail-out negotiations ends — something that moved a step forward this week after the country agreed a deal with its creditors on a range of fiscal and structural reforms. But one look at where its outstanding debt is trading should make the government think twice before rushing back to the capital markets.

Frigoglass, the Greek maker of chiller cabinets, has launched a consent solicitation to holders of its €250m senior bond as it tries to restructure its debt through a UK scheme of arrangement.

Bank Nederlandse Gemeenten has tapped a 10 year Australian dollar bond twice in a week, raising A$155m ($116.7m) from central Asian and Japanese investors.

Nederlandse Waterschapsbank tapped a 24 year line for €250m on Tuesday.

The Croatian financial services supervisory agency, Hanfa, has suspended trading in the shares of eight of Agrokor’s subsidiaries until it appoints a new auditor to look over its 2016 accounts.

Medicover, the Swedish diagnostic services provider, on Tuesday joined the growing number of European companies seeking to go public before the summer, announcing its intention to float on Nasdaq Stockholm.

Natixis has given its head of loan syndicate a new role, making him global head of high yield corporate distribution and trading.

Westpac has mandated leads for a roadshow to look at issuing a senior unsecured or covered bond in euros. The tight spread between the two asset classes could restrict covered bond supply.

Spain’s Criteria Caixa picked banks to arrange the sale of new senior unsecured bond on Tuesday, having discussed a new debt offering with investors at the end of last year.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch has hired a former Credit Suisse banker for its emerging markets DCM team.

Münchener Hypothekenbank issued a comfortably oversubscribed €500m 10 year Pfandbrief on Tuesday, and priced the deal with a small concession and a decent amount of central bank support.

Barclays’ global banking business saw a strong start to the year, but without the huge percentage increases seen at its peers. It’s the comparison quarter that made the difference — Barclays was stronger in the turbulent first quarter last year than many other investment banks.