Latin America

Latin America’s best-rated sovereign reopened the region’s capital markets this week with a dual-currency trade that showed large financings are still on offer — though it also provoked debate over issuance strategies in tough markets.

Lat Am bankers said that the 15bp-20bp new issue concession achieved by Mexico in its first deal of the year was unlikely to be bettered by anyone soon after the sovereign raised $2.25bn in a tough market.

There may be a new man in charge at the Mexican debt management office, but bankers were just as effusive as ever over its $2.25bn of 10 year bond, its first issuance of 2016, on Wednesday.

Bankers say that at least two sovereigns from Latin America are considering announcing deals on Wednesday after Chile brought some much needed new issue action to the region on Tuesday.

Chile has tightened price guidance on the first bond from Latin America this year, a 10 year euro-denominated deal, to 115bp area over mid-swaps.

Fitch downgraded Odebrecht Offshore Drilling Finance (OODF) from B- to CCC on Monday, highlighting its concerns that the Brazilian issuer’s discussions with bondholders could lead to a restructuring of its bonds.

Reports on Friday that the Argentine government would begin negotiations with holdout bond investors on Wednesday sparked buying in the nation’s bonds as the sovereign — rated Caa1/CCC+/CCC rated and still in default — proves an unlikely beacon of stability in Latin America.

After three consecutive years of record volumes, in 2015 Latin American bond market momentum was halted by crises in Brazil and plunging commodity prices. Though volatility will continue and issuers and investors often struggle to meet on price, the market looks mature enough for a modest recovery in 2016. Oliver West reports.

Masisa, the Chilean woodboard producer, is looking to buy back up to $100m of its 9.5% 2019s as part of its attempts to reduce debt in reaction to a rapidly increasing leverage ratio.

Despite the currency tanking against the dollar in 2015, investment in Brazilian real denominated medium term notes is at a healthy level.

Mexican infrastructure and construction giant Empresas ICA is heading for default after the company said it had decided not to pay a $31m interest payment due November 30 before the expiration of the grace period on December 29.

Argentine sovereign bonds hit highs for the year on Monday after the US court-appointed mediator in the holdout dispute said that the country’s secretary of finance and vice-chief of cabinet would return to New York to negotiate with bond investors in the second week of January.