France

With as many as three benchmarks pricing in different time zones and currencies in the last 48 hours, it is evident that the covered bond sector has evolved from its parochial roots to a truly global market. However as far as the Eurozone is concerned, issuance has been pitiful. This is in part owed to the cheap three year financing provided by the ECB, but also because many issuers are in blackout. As a result there are few offers and spreads look set to tighten.

Covered bond spreads have survived sweeping sovereign downgrades by Standard & Poor’s on Friday. Only French issuer Dexia was reported wider on Monday morning, while the LTRO cash injection has ensured short dated Spanish and French paper remains highly sought after.

Covered bond supply was restricted to an impressive €850m tap from BPCE on Thursday, taking the number of long dated French transactions already this year to six.

A series of mandates from outside the eurozone hit screens on Friday. Australian, New Zealand and Norwegian issuers could all launch in the next two weeks, while three Turkish banks have hired UniCredit Menkul Degerler for trades in 2012.

Syndicate bankers had expected Thursday’s ECB meeting to curtail supply, but BPCE has courageously squeezed through the funding window with a competitively priced €850m 10-year tap.

As a result of deal announcements and the new issue premium, secondary market turnover has been hit, with spreads moving on little volume. Curves have conspicuously steepened in France but DexMA remains out of line.

Four covered bond issuers collectively raised over €5bn of new funding on Tuesday across two currencies and three tenors. Total issuance this week exceeds €8bn equivalent and on Wednesday a further two are lining up with euro benchmarks. This suggests borrowers will have raised at least €25bn equivalent this year by the close of play on Wednesday.

The covered bond primary market continues to enjoy good momentum, with as many as four issuers collectively raising the equivalent of around €5bn in the four to 12 year area across two currencies.

Australia and New Zealand Banking Group, Aareal bank and Compagnie de Financement Foncier successfully raised a collective €2.5bn on Monday, opening the way for Deutsche Pfandbriefbank, Nordea and Credit Mutuel-CIC - which are expected to launch and price deals on Tuesday.

Crédit Mutuel-CIC Home Loan has launched the longest dated euro trade of 2012, a 12 year aimed at German and French buy and hold investors.

Société Générale launched the third French benchmark in as many days on Thursday. The French trio’s reception has been highly positive, with German investors driving the order books.

Though the first day of activity in 2012 brought fewer trades than in 2011, the number of accounts that participated in the deals was up on last year. Almost 400 buyers participated in Tuesday’s salvo, with Germany taking over half of primary allocation.