Italy

Italy’s economy, like those of its European neighbours, is showing encouraging signs of consistently strong growth. But how much of it should Italy take credit for — and how much is down to the broader improvements in Europe? Has Italy made the most of improving economic conditions and central bank support to enact enough reforms to escape its unwanted tradition of growing more slowly than other economies in the good times and shrinking further in the bad times? Ignazio Visco, governor of the Bank of Italy, answered these questions and many more in an interview with GlobalCapital’s Toby Fildes.

Contrary to expectations, the fall of Matteo Renzi has not slowed down Italy’s reform drive. Admittedly, much of the recent progress started under his leadership and even before it, but the country’s continued commitment to economic reform under the Gentiloni administration has been warmly welcomed by economists and investors. The next big test will be a general election in March. By Philip Moore.

If Italy is decisively to address the persistent challenges presented by its low growth, poor productivity, elevated debt, high unemployment and weak financial services industry, then CDP will need to play a pivotal role in mobilising over €250bn of resources. Philip Moore reports.

Ask people to name the centres for capital markets in Europe and most will probably pick London, Frankfurt and perhaps Paris. But Milan will not be on many people’s shortlist, at least not outside Italy. But that may be about to change as a series of major transactions on the city’s stock exchange has shone a spotlight on a growing trend that could point to a boost to the eurozone economy’s growth outlook. By Phil Thornton

Italy’s growth trajectory, at around 1.5%, may look modest in comparison to the 2.3% growth that UniCredit is projecting for the eurozone as a whole in 2018 and 2019 but by Italian standards, it represents an encouraging advance, given that the root cause of so many of Italy’s problems is its chronic lack of growth. Philip Moore reports.

Cyclical or structural? This is a question which I have often been asked about Italy’s economic recovery. Italy began showing some first signs of recovery in 2014, a year in which Italy posted a 0.1% increase in GDP after a double-dip recession between 2009-2013 which led to a 10% drop in the country’s output. In the following years the recovery grew stronger and now the economy is growing at a rate similar to that of other euro-area countries.

The investment grade corporate bond market started February with the second busiest day of 2018 so far, picking up after a relatively quiet January. Acea, Ford and Prosegur Cia de Seguridad, sold five tranches between them, including two floating rate notes (FRNs), on the first day of the new month.

The investment grade corporate bond market has started February with intent, with Thursday registering as the second busiest day of 2018 so far.

The euro market is taking a breather as a frenetic January draws to a close. But one borrower hit screens and launched a deal on Wednesday, while the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) sent out a request for proposals for next week.

Italian toll road operator Società Iniziative Autostradali e Servizi (SIAS) followed a four day investor roadshow with its third 10 year bond this week. A €1.9bn order book allowed the company to print its largest ever deal at a much tighter spread than its previous two offerings.

When talking to syndicate managers or investors about the first month of 2018, you may think that supply volumes in the euro investment grade corporate bond market have been unusually low. However, a comparison of previous January issuance levels suggests it has been a much more normal start to the year.

Italy’s leading gas distribution company Italgas was the latest issuer to benefit from the lack of corporate bond supply so far in 2018, tapping a deal on Tuesday. Investors, starved of paper, have caused order books to be multiple times oversubscribed and issuers have benefited from tight pricing as a result.