Nordics

Stadshypotek yesterday (Thursday) priced a Eu1.5bn five year covered bond, the first new issue launched since the European Central Bank’s purchase programme started that is not eligible for the scheme. But the issuer’s strong credit and cover pool gave it confidence that this would not be a worry for the transaction, it told The Cover. And the Swedish deal already has a successor, with Swedbank Mortgage lined up to launch a seven year issue early next week.

In this roundtable discussion, sponsored by Danske Bank and Nykredit, leading market participants – including issuers, investors and the Danish central bank – examine how Denmark has coped through the crisis and what the future holds for the country’s covered bond market.

Stadshypotek this (Thursday) morning reopened the Swedish covered bond segment with a five year benchmark, while Caja Madrid will this afternoon price its first issue of the year, a Eu1.75bn seven year cédulas hipotecarias. Meanwhile, UBS has announced the mandate for its debut.

Moody’s on Friday placed BRKkredit’s covered bonds and Nykredit Realkredit’s junior covered bonds on review for downgrade.

Moody’s yesterday (Tuesday) downgraded several Scandinavian financial institutions that either issue covered bonds or are closely linked to issuers, concluding reviews for possible downgrade that were initiated on 22 July.

Norwegian internet bank Gjensidige Bank has established a mortgage bank for the issuance of covered bonds, Gjensidige Bank Boligkreditt.

DnB Nor Boligkreditt issued a Nkr1.25bn (Eu145m) five year floating rate covered bond today (Wednesday) that it is not swapping with the central bank.

Nordea Hypotek has issued a Nkr750m (Eu86m) five year covered bond, catering to Norwegian krone investors that need triple-A securities but are struggling to find paper from domestic issuers.

Fitch yesterday (Wednesday) changed Pohjola Bank’s outlook from stable to negative, while affirming the bank’s issuer default, individual and support ratings and support rating floor.

Norway’s Sparebanken Øst has set up a covered bond issuer.

Fana Sparebank has become the twelfth Norwegian bank to set up a covered bond issuer.

Moody’s yesterday (Wednesday) placed on review for possible downgrade the long term ratings of several Nordic covered bond issuers.