GCC

It isn't often that equity investors are asked to buy assets subjected to physical attack. The drone strikes on Saudi Arabia’s Abqaiq and Khurais oil facilities on Saturday could lead to Aramco demanding a big discount on any upcoming listing. The IPO market has suffered its fair share of geopolitical tumult of late, but this long and keenly anticipated deal could wind up being the riskiest of them all.

Four Middle Eastern borrowers are set to come to market next week, as issuers and investors alike shake off the volatility caused by the attack on Saudi oil facilities last weekend.

Gulf borrowers are being increasingly lured by the attractive terms offered in bond and sukuk markets, much to the detriment of international lenders, many of which are disgruntled by the disappointing loan volumes in the region.

Sources close to the listing of Saudi Aramco, the state-owned oil producer, have confirmed that they are working flat out to bring the Saudi company to market before the end of the year, despite attacks on its oil fields over the weekend.

Rating: Baa3/BBB-

Multilateral development bank Arab Petroleum Investments Corp (Apicorp) is eyeing up the bond market for a potential benchmark issue, while a green euro bond may also be on the cards for the Saudi-headquartered bank, according to Sherif Ayoub, chief financial officer.

Kuwait's Warba Bank is embarking on a roadshow to market its first senior unsecured sukuk. The dollar five year note is expected to be printed “around the 3% mark”, according to a DCM banker on the deal.

Holders of the defaulted EA Partners bonds claim that Etihad Airways and Abu Dhabi gave them implicit guarantees for the notes, which were issued to fund other troubled airlines. The bondholders, backed by restructuring advisers and corporate sleuths, are buckling up for a battle for their money. Karoliina Liimatainen reports.

Global banks have been stepping up their pitches to win the mandate for oil giant Saudi Aramco's $100bn IPO during the second week of meetings, as competition heated up to win a spot on the on-again, off-again blockbuster sale.

Investors this week have again affirmed their confidence that Middle Eastern issuance will be the redeeming factor in emerging markets this year with a handful of names expected to raise debt, despite a challenging third quarter.

Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, Public Investment Fund (PIF), is close to finalising its second syndicated loan, which is scheduled for September. Margins are slimmer than on the borrower’s debut last year, according to bankers, though some in the market wondered if the fund will push even further on pricing before the deal is done.

Equity bankers flew out to the Middle East this week to pitch for roles in the IPO of Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia’s state oil and gas giant, according to equity capital markets sources.