Europe

Turkey’s Akbank has refinanced a syndicated loan with tighter margins than its existing facility, as lenders demonstrate unwavering appetite for Turkish debt.

Convertible bonds are emerging as an important tool that companies will use to recapitalise themselves during the Covid-19 crisis alongside selling new shares, particularly for those with weak credit ratings.

EU finance ministers will call on regulatory authorities next week to be as flexible as possible so that banks can carry on lending through the coronavirus crisis, building on initial moves towards supervisory relief.

In spite of an equity sell-off on Wednesday morning, Portugal was warmly received when it hit the market on Wednesday, printing its largest ever single tranche deal and generating more orders than ever before. The deal should provide confidence for Ireland, which is also planning a syndication.

KfW made an impressive statement by taking out size with a small new issue premium for a three year euro deal on Wednesday. Bankers say the deal is a sign of concessions reaching a floor following the huge premiums offered since the return of SSAs to the primary market.

SSA borrowers are going to be scrambling for cash to meet expanded borrowing requirements as they finance the fight against the coronavirus and its effects, but a period of four weeks where the market was all but shut have left the run-rate slightly behind the last few years. Some dealers are finding more success than usual in the new conditions, while others are falling behind.

L-Bank mandated banks on Wednesday for a second attempt at a two year dollar benchmark after it had to pull a deal in the same currency and maturity two weeks ago following a lack of demand. This time, it has opted for a more conventional approach of a traditional syndication and will follow a string of well received trades in the short end of the dollar curve.

Russian commodity and metals companies are rethinking financing plans and talking to bankers about loans amid the drastic change in outlook due to Covid-19 and the oil price war. But bankers say borrowers insistent on pre-coronavirus terms on their deals must lower their expectations.

Auto Trader, the UK online vehicle marketplace, has become the latest London-listed corporate to raise equity in response to the challenges of the Covid-19 crisis.

Crédit Agricole jump-started the primary covered bond market on Wednesday with a deal that is hoped will re-establish something of a normal rhythm of issuance.

The Pre-Emption Group, an assembly of listed companiesm investors and intermediaries that monitors pre-emption rights in the UK, has changed its guidelines to say that the impacts of the Covid-19 coronavirus means investors should support companies selling new shares worth up to 20% of their market capitalisation without giving existing shareholders first refusal.

Extraordinary times call for extraordinary capital markets activity. The North American corporate bond market funded a staggering record $194bn of investment grade issues in March while Europe has also been busy — shaking up the league tables and yielding a surprise windfall for the very largest investment banks.