Mandated arranger SEB Capital Markets has launched a $100m five year multicurrency revolver for Scandic Hotels. Before launch MeritaNordbanken joined as co-arranger. Banks have been invited to join as senior lead managers taking $20m for 17.5bp, as lead managers taking $15m for 15bp or as managers taking £10m for 12.5bp.

FRANCE TELECOM has yet again sparked speculation that it is about to tap the syndicated loan market for a jumbo credit with the appointment of Credit Suisse First Boston, NM Rothschild & Son and Morgan Stanley Dean Witter as advisers for its potential bid for the UK cellular phone operator Orange. Talk of a large syndicated loan for France Télécom has circulated since Vodafone Airtouch won control of Mannesmann, the German phone operator that bought out Orange in the last quarter of 1999. Twice this year it seemed as if the French telco was on the verge of tapping the market for a blockbuster transaction. Each time, France Télécom and its bankers distanced themselves from any deal.

Argentina Lead arranger ABN Amro has completed syndication of the $181m project finance loan for Pluspetrol SA.

A Eu1bn facility for Gucci Group, arranged by Citibank and UniCredito Italiano is launching today (Friday). The two banks are joint books, with the Italian bank as agent. The deal is divided into a Eu333m multi-currency 364 day revolver, with a one year term out option, and a Eu776m five year revolving credit.

France Banks have signed up to the £1.65bn deal for Thomson-CSF, backing its acquisition of Racal Electronics of the UK. The facility was popular and the oversubscription led to a 40% cut in final allocations.