Nomura

Westpac Banking Corp is set to print its first benchmark Samurai transaction in almost two years as Japan’s central bank ploughs on with the monetary easing policy that has made yields on foreign banks’ bonds more attractive to domestic buyers.

Veneto Banca was attempting to transform a €350m three year deal from January into a benchmark trade with a tap on Wednesday, as the sub-investment grade credit made its third visit to the public senior unsecured market in the last six months.

For a bank that has spent much of its recent history being kicked by rivals, the Japanese firm enters 2014 in calmer waters, writes David Rothnie.

UK-based mining company Anglo American this week told EuroWeek it is considering setting up a EuroCP programme in the coming weeks. However, according to James Patterson, treasurer of the firm in London, Anglo American is unlikely to issue ECP in the near future.

Word has obviously been getting around to Nomura about the dazzling new MTNWeek awards (which must bring waves of confidence to the lucky desks that own one), as it is already making moves for next year's awards at this early stage. The Japanese bank has hired Andres Gasser from Bank of America to become a director on the debt capital markets origination team. Other MTNers are welcoming the summer months by taking it easy. Dresdner's Michael Stump has been relaxing at home having won a bet with his colleague that he could lose four pounds in two weeks. Barclays's CP originator Monja Blattner is flying to Germany and then Greece for a well-earned rest. And Kommunalbanken's Kristine Falkgard, in between the 39 power reverse dual currency deals she does each day, has found time to pose for not one, but two photos for the company's annual report. Leak thinks the team needs to go on some IT training refresher courses though. In one of the pictures Terje Fronth-Pedersen, Kommunalbanken's portfolio manager, is busy clicking on his mouse buttons despite his computer screen not being switched on.