Europe

Trading platform Liquidnet is set to expand into the primary market through a new issuance system for European corporate and emerging markets bonds, one that would rival Ipreo’s Investor Access and other, newer entrants to the business. Liquidnet’s global head of fixed income, Constantinos Antoniades, discussed the plans with GlobalCapital.

The coronavirus crisis is a further reminder that fundamentals are not the only thing that matters when investing in bank capital.

Subordinated debt transactions in dollars from a trio of European banks left no doubts about the strength of the Yankee market this week. Bookrunners are encouraging issuers to execute trades in the asset class quickly, as they are unlikely to encounter better conditions before the end of this year, writes David Freitas.

European Union member states have begun applying for loans from the bloc’s €100bn Support to Mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency (SURE) package. Unlike with other European rescue lending facilities, countries seem less concerned with the reputational damage of asking for a share of this cash, writes Lewis McLellan.

Turkey continued to teeter on the brink of a currency crisis this week, as the lira went on another rollercoaster ride and touched a record low.

A pair of German sub-sovereigns had the primary public sector bond market to themselves this week, with each taking €500m at tight levels to their secondary curves.

Credit Suisse chief executive Thomas Gottstein has brought its investment bank back together but threatens to leave it with a diminished corporate finance business, David Rothnie reports.

Institutional investors in private placements (PPs) have signalled their appetite for borrowers beyond their typical stables throughout the coronavirus pandemic. But this week’s transaction from Vanguard Group — the largest in the market’s history — showed the size of funding available, as buyers demand bigger deals. Silas Brown reports.

Smaller UK lenders are hoping the Bank of England will limit the scope of the minimum requirements for own funds and eligible liabilities (MREL) this year, relieving them of the potentially challenging task of raising new bail-inable debt in the capital markets.

Equity capital markets bankers are hoping that global markets maintain the extraordinary bullishness of the last few weeks in what should prove a busy final quarter of the year for issuance. But an unholy trinity of risks are causing concern, particularly for IPOs.

Investors appeared positive on Natixis's prospects after Nicolas Namias replaced François Riahi as chief executive. Meanwhile, the bank has said it will reposition its equities division after it endured another tough quarter.

The State of Lower Saxony was the sole borrower active in the primary public sector bond market on Thursday as it raised €500m with a 10 year at a negative yield. The deal ended up comfortably subscribed in spite of a slow start to the book-build.