Europe

The primary market has got off to a very strong start, with books building on as many as four deals across four jurisdictions. The transactions, which include two tier two borrowers from peripheral markets, have attracted a total of 440 orders worth a combined Eu8bn. The strong showing bodes well for new peripheral tier two borrowers who are said to be lining up with deals this week.

Spanish and Italian banks are expected to take advantage of the bid for peripheral covered bonds, as witnessed last week by the strength of demand in Banca Carige’s trade, two taps from peripheral issuers and Santander’s blow-out deal. La Caixa has mandated for a four year as other Spanish borrowers line up and Italy's Banco Popolare has mandated.

Recent hawkish comment’s from the ECB president Jean Claude Trichet have helped to boost demand in the Danish covered bond auctions, which entered their second day today.

The recent French issuer flood into the buoyant Swiss franc covered bond sector accelerated further this week as Caisse de Refinancement de l’Habitat launched the market’s biggest deal in over a year — a more than doubled Sfr625m two tranche issue. Together, Monday’s Sfr350m 10 year tranche and Sfr275m five year rank as Switzerland’s largest covered bond since Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce’s Sfr675m trade in 2009.

After Bankinter and Banca Popolare Di Milano successfully issued taps on Wednesday, Banca Carige will today price an Eu500m deal on the back of Eu1.2bn demand. Given that the order book and deal size could have been heavily increased, lingering doubts over tier two borrowers’ access to the covered bond market should be dispelled.

Danske Bank opened and closed books in quick succession on Wednesday for the inaugural deal off its cover pool C programme which mixes both commercial and residential mortgages.

In what is likely to be viewed as a further positive legal development for the French covered bond market, the decree for Obligations de Financement à l’Habitat was published in the Journal Officiel earlier this week. The new law will have the benefit of being Ucits compliant, say bankers and should emerge at the beginning of April.

The primary market opened with a bang on Monday morning as books on the newly announced Santander four year exploded with Eu4bn of orders. But the strength of demand for this national champion is likely to provide an interesting contrast to Banca Carige, which has embarked on a three day roadshow.

Portuguese banks, with Eu13bn of bonds maturing in 2011, are fast approaching the first anniversary since any of their number last sold a benchmark bond, causing consternation among bankers and putting the spotlight on the European Central Bank ahead of a potential tightening in its provision of liquidity.

The books on ING Bank’s five year covered bond closed at 11:45am UK time. Being the only deal in the market gave it exclusive status and it drew Eu2.25bn of orders from over 100 accounts.

Moody's on Thursday revealed its updated approach to analysing set-off risk in Italian structured finance and covered bonds transactions and said that there will be no rating actions following the implementation of its revised methodology.

Abbey National sold a £1bn 15 year benchmark on Monday in a deal that was more than twice oversubscribed and tightened strongly after pricing.