Goldman Sachs

Genscript Biotech Corp, a leading life sciences service provider and drug developer, has raised HK$2.39bn ($304m) after upsizing a follow-on offering, according to a source close to the deal.

China-based VCredit Holdings, which provides online consumer finance, launched bookbuilding for its IPO on Tuesday, with proceeds of up to HK$1.58bn ($201m) in reach.

The UK government has resumed the reprivatisation of RBS, the British bank that was nationalised during the financial crisis, having launched a £2.6bn block trade.

Home24, the German online furniture retailer backed by Rocket Internet, has opened the books on its IPO on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

Goldman Sachs and three other major banks have signed up to the project to build a joint electronic bookbuilding system for the US investment grade market, joining Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Citi, and JP Morgan and giving the new platform a strong shot at total market dominance. Goldman’s merchant banking arm sold Ipreo, the main rival to the new project, last week.

Chinese used car e-commerce platform Uxin began investor education for a potential $500m Nasdaq IPO on Wednesday, said a banker on the deal.

Germany’s JAB Holdings has agreed to buy the UK’s Pret A Manger for a reported £1.5bn, though lenders are unsure whether this marks the beginning of a wave of consolidation in the ready to eat food market.

Shares in Capita, the UK outsourcing company, rose 3.2% on Friday after it concluded its £702m rights issue, intended to put the company on a sound financial footing after a series of profit warnings over the past year.

The political manoeuvrings in Italy’s path to being governed — as well as poor eurozone economic data — played havoc with rates this week, leading to SSA deals either paying higher new issue concessions, or falling short of subscription. More volatility could come, after the country’s president approved the likely coalition partners’ choice of prime minister but held back from appointing a eurosceptic economist to take charge of the country’s economy. Craig McGlashan reports.

Vodafone was welcomed with open arms in the US as it printed the biggest dollar bond in its history, executing a quick fire acquisition financing.

German energy supplier Innogy found the corporate bond market tough going for its latest new issue, despite marketing its deal for two days. However, it did execute the deal in a week that saw two corporate bond deals pulled, and despite an M&A shadow hanging over the company.

Dexia Crédit Local scored what leads said was a good result on Thursday as it brought a trade at the upper end of its size plans and tightened pricing during another volatile day for eurozone rates. KfW was also out in euros, with a tap, although it appeared to be more of a slow burner.