Greece

Greece has begun speaking to its primary dealers as it looks to return to the bond markets for a benchmark issue next year, GlobalCapital understands.

The covered bonds of National Bank of Greece will be eligible for two bond indices and will attract a substantially lower capital charge following Fitch’s recent rating upgrade. At the same time, Helaba tapped its February 2024 and Münchener Hypothekenbank hit the road with plans to issue its first green Pfandbrief.

Piraeus Bank, the largest bank by assets in Greece, said on Thursday that it was monitoring market conditions with a view to raising tier two capital.

The environment for the return of Greece to the euro public market was enhanced following a 10 year benchmark by Cyprus this week that broke a number of records.

Talk of Greece’s return to the bond market for a 10 year euro benchmark has abounded over the last few weeks, following the sovereign’s exit from its third bailout programme. To paraphrase Elvis, it is time for a little less conversation and a little more action.

Greece’s Danaos Corporation has restructured around $2.2bn of loans, with the shipping container firm slashing its outstanding debt at the expense of giving almost half of the company to lenders.

Greece is expected to return to the bond market before the end of the year, after it exited its third bailout programme on Monday, August 20. But the sovereign needs the ‘perfect’ window amid emerging and peripheral market volatility, said bankers.

After Fitch upgraded Greece’s country ceiling into investment grade territory last Friday, the covered bond ratings of National Bank of Greece and Alpha Bank should also improve with spreads on Alpha's recent five year having the best potential to tighten.

The European Central Bank will drop its waiver for Greek bonds to be used as collateral, following the sovereign’s exit from its third bailout programme on August 20.

Greece’s planned return to the 10 year part of its euro benchmark curve is likely to be in late August or early September, according to market sources.

National Bank of Greece has sold a €200m five year covered bond to the European Investment Bank (EIB) just as Moody’s changed its outlook on the Greek banking sector to positive.

The Greek banking sector could receive European Central Bank monetary policy support once Greece has exited its bailout programme in August, according to a senior strategist.