Nordics

Svenska Handelsbanken was the only financial institution to issue senior debt in euros this week. The issuance came at a time Swedish banks have been granted an extension of two years to comply with regulatory targets for MREL debt, which might make a short-term dent in issuance.

Trading levels given are bid-side spreads versus mid-swaps and/or an underlying benchmark and bid-yields from the close of business on Monday, April 6. The source for secondary trading levels is ICE Data Services.

The Swedish national debt office (Riksgälden) said on Tuesday that banks would have two extra years to raise non-preferred senior debt for their minimum requirements for own funds and eligible liabilities (MREL). The announcement came a day after Svenska Handelsbanken sold an ordinary senior deal in the euro market.

Swedish Export Credit (SEK) joined the ranks of SSAs increasing their funding programmes in response to the Covid-19 crisis this week. Meanwhile, Norway’s Kommunalbanken (KBN) has dropped its target by $2bn as a result of a weakening Norwegian kroner.

This week's scorecard looks at the progress Nordic agencies have made in their 2020 funding programmes at the start of the second quarter.

Svenska Handelsbanken attracted €8.5bn of demand for a new preferred senior bond on Monday, as credit markets started the week on a strong footing. The Swedish lender said the transaction would help it to ‘prudently manage’ its liquidity position.

Citi has hired Anders Fogh Rasmussen, a former prime minister of Denmark, as a senior adviser with its EMEA investment banking business.

Trading levels given are bid-side spreads versus mid-swaps and/or an underlying benchmark and bid-yields from the close of business on Monday, March 30. The source for secondary trading levels is ICE Data Services.

The Finnish Treasury said on Tuesday that it plans to increase its short-term borrowing to fund the government’s emergency fiscal package for the coronavirus outbreak.

The dollar bond market is gradually opening up, with two high quality public sector borrowers hitting screens on Monday for short dated deals. But with volatility still gripping the cross-currency basis swap market, European borrowers are still sticking to their home currency.

Belgium has picked banks for a seven year benchmark, publishing the mandate just after joining the throng of sovereigns upping their funding requirements. Norway has also raised the size of its borrowing programme.

The Norwegian government’s support package for large companies goes beyond that announced in other jurisdictions, in actively buying bonds from companies deep in sub-investment grade territory, helping the country's vital oil exploration, shipping and oil services firms to access financing.