As the first quarter of 2019 comes to a close, the International Finance Corporation is taking stock, to inspect its funding needs. It is well-funded, and looking to only print on the private market to meet its targets.

Ireland is eyeing a benchmark linker after a successful private placement on Tuesday.

Italy has issued a yen bond for the first time since 2009. The deal, led by Nomura, is also its first issue in a foreign currency since 2010.

Ireland raised €300m through an inflation-linked bond in the private market on Tuesday. The note is Ireland’s second of this type, after a €609.5m private placement in April 2017.

The State of North-Rhine Westphalia sold its first century bond on Thursday via the private placement market, and is open to the possibility of bringing a syndicated deal in the tenor.

A Munich-based banker at UniCredit has made an internal move from MTNs to the syndicate desk, covering SSAs and covered bonds.

The International Development Association is preparing a short-term borrowing programme that the issuer told GlobalCapital will be similar in form to the commercial paper offerings of its peers the European Investment Bank and KfW. A second benchmark — likely to be in sterling or a niche currency — or a debut private medium-term note could follow, the borrower added.

GlobalCapital understands that the Spanish government has approved requests from the Balearic Islands and Castile and Leon to issue new debt. More approvals could follow “in the next few weeks” for the Basque Country and Galicia, according to a DCM banker based in Madrid.

Natixis has made some internal changes to its MTN team, after the desk’s global head Elsa Martin took on a new position within the bank.

Investors were keeping cash from the private debt markets this week, though borrowers that have a definite issuance plan have been able to continue with their strategies.

Agence Française de Développement (AFD) this week sold its largest ever benchmark as it tackled an increased funding programme that will grow further in the next few years. That means the issuer will look to bring big trades again — as well as potentially growing its presence in the privately placed MTN market.

Santander has picked up an ex-Deutsche Bank private debt banker for its MTN syndicate desk.