Nordics

Rating: Aaa/AAA

A global equity sell-off mid-week caused some jitters among bankers covering a live Kommunalbanken dollar deal on Wednesday, but the nervousness proved unfounded as the trade came through to acclaim. The deal was typical in a week where SSAs priced tight and with big books despite choppy wider markets.

Kommunalbanken showed “the resilience of the dollar SSA market” as it printed a $1.5bn October 2021 Reg S/144A benchmark around its secondary level amid global market volatility on Thursday, said SSA bankers away from the deal.

SSAs are enjoying strong conditions in dollars, with KfW and the Province of Ontario finding plentiful demand on Wednesday despite bringing deals that on-looking bankers said were “pretty much” in line with secondaries. Kommunalbanken will price a dollar benchmark on Thursday that leads said was following a similar pattern.

SR Boligkreditt issued a €750m seven year with a slim new issue concession showing that the primary covered bond market is still receptive, despite the rates market volatility seen earlier in the week.

A sharp sell-off in US Treasuries after the release of stronger than expected US economic data has changed the landscape for dollar issuance. Ten year benchmarks could be possible, although one product investors would normally welcome in a rising rate environment — floating rate notes — is unlikely to make a big comeback.

Guarantor: Swedish local government members

Two Nordic agencies have raised their funding needs for the year due to an increase in their lending activity, just as the final quarter has begun.

The Danish Financial Supervisory Authority has increased Danske Bank’s capital requirements for a second time following an investigation into money laundering through its branch in Estonia. The scandal-stricken lender said on Thursday that it was ending its share buy-back programme to comply with the new targets.

Kommuninvest was able to get more than enough demand for a rare three year dollar benchmark on Tuesday, despite the deal being priced at a level that onlooking SSA bankers said was flat to fair value.

Finnvera is aiming to raise an additional €500m for its funding programme this year as a result of a surge in the agency’s lending.

Kommuninvest hit screens on Monday for the first dollar benchmark by a Nordic public sector borrower since August.