Middle East

Moody’s move to junk Turkey's rating last Friday was met with howls of disdain from investors after they believed the agency had hinted there would be no downgrade. But no diligent fund manager should be moving positions based on a throwaway comment from a single analyst.

Union National Bank of the UAE nipped into the primary market a $600m bond on Wednesday, well ahead of competing supply, paying a skinny, if any, new issue premium.

There is plenty that links Asia with the Middle East across economics, culture and politics with countries in both regions keen to take advantage of the opportunities. But progress on capitalising on those connections has been slower than expected, writes Elliot Wilson.

Oman left a chunky new issue premium on the table with its latest $1.5bn bond sale, but with competing supply looming, and a market backdrop that included two pulled trades, EM bankers said it was a prudent move that resulted in a great trade and over $4bn of orders.

Lenders are finalising a $190m loan for Ahli Bank QSC which has been arranged in a club format, according to a banker on the deal.

Books were nearly $2bn for the UAE's Union National Bank’s return to the markets on Wednesday With issuance from UAE banks limited thus far, the 20bp-25bp starting premium offered good value, according to one EM banker.

Turmoil in Turkish bond markets put a dampener on Monday’s open after Moody’s junked the sovereign's credit rating. But with activity in the Middle East and, after a two year absence, Nigeria, the stage is set for a busy few weeks in EM.

Vakifbank’s €500m five year covered bond has rallied after Moody’s cut its rating and those of five other Turkish covered bond issuers. The move implies that the rating downgrade has not delivered a fatal blow to prospective Turkish supply.

The Middle East bond floodgates have finally opened but with Bahrain hitting the road this week and Saudi Arabia's deal looming, supply concerns have prompted Oman to reopen its dual tranche tap at “eye-wateringly wide” levels.

Some Turkish banks will have to pay an extra 25bp on loans after Moody’s downgraded 14 borrowers on Monday, triggering ratings ratchets. Vakifbank signed a loan refinancing just hours before Moody’s hit it with a downgrade.

Renminbi adoption has surged in the United Arab Emirates while lagging behind in the Eurozone, according to the latest data by the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (Swift). The Chinese authorities also seem ready to increase RMB connectivity with the Middle East through a number of new initiatives.

Yapi Kredi Bank is in the market with its annual loan refinancing, as Turkey’s sovereign rating received its second downgrade of the year on Friday, putting Yapi in line to follow.