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Ant Financial, an affiliate of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding, has launched a $3.5bn three year loan into syndication, after closing an amendment and extension of an old borrowing.

Bart Schmeetz is to become ING’s global head of financial markets, replacing Percy Rueber, who is leading efforts to build a trading platform at the Dutch bank.

Switzerland’s Mercuria has signed a $1.9bn revolving credit facility through its US arm, with the commodity trading company scaling back lender commitments.

Financial institutions bond bankers expect that new deal flow will come to a standstill in the primary market at the end of next week, as investors close the lid on an agreeable year for returns.

Commodities company Mercuria has closed its annual borrowing at a size of $1.2bn after 24 banks joining the deal during general syndication.

France’s SNCF has signed a €3.5bn sustainability-linked loan, with the state-owned railway company only able to use the facility from the start of next year after the country’s reform bill is enacted.

Three bankers have recently joined Natixis’s telecom industry group. Two are in Paris and one is in Singapore.

Financial institutions are rushing to sell new deals in the euro market, fearful that the window for issuance will close after Thanksgiving in the US next week.

Student Hotel finds bed for sustainable loan — Italo mainlines green loans — Green bond stalwart Tennet signs — Scottish Mortgage returns to US PP — CVC-owned April preps rapid refi

A trio of triple-B rated companies brought bond sales totalling €2.75bn on Thursday, as a primary market abuzz with official stimulus roared towards the year's close.

Carrefour, the French supermarket group, has launched a tender offer for €2bn of bonds, hoping to buy back a maximum of €400m.

Italo, the Italian high speed rail operator, has signed a €1.1bn green loan, in what tit says is the biggest ever product of that stripe in its home market and the largest ever in the transportation sector globally.