North America

Intercontinental Exchange, the global exchange and clearing house operator, on Tuesday announced it had bought a 4.7% stake in Euroclear from Royal Bank of Scotland for €275m. The move was followed a few hours later by an announcement that it would buy fixed income trading venue BondPoint from Virtu Financial for $400m.

The European Stability Mechanism (ESM) brought its long awaited inaugural dollar transaction to market on Tuesday during a period of feverish activity in a dollar market that is “going from strength to strength”, according to one SSA banker.

Ablynx, the Belgian biopharmaceutical firm, has raised $200m through a second listing in the US, following positive momentum in the development of a new drug designed to combat a life-threatening blood clotting disorder.

Has Europe’s corporate bond market ever been hotter than today? Perhaps, but Monday’s four investment grade deals totalling €7.4bn offered ample evidence of extraordinary demand — not least, what is believed to be the most tightly priced corporate hybrid capital issue ever, for Danone.

The European Stability Mechanism is finally set to come to market to sell its first ever dollar bond, lining up for a transaction on Tuesday alongside two SSAs looking to access the rare 10 year dollar tenor.

Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the exchange and clearing house operator, on Sunday revealed it had added Bank of America’s fixed income index platform to its ICE Data Services offering.

The economic dialogue between Beijing and Washington could determine how far and fast China will allow foreign ownership to expand in its banking sector, according to Jing Ulrich, vice chairman of Asia Pacific at JP Morgan.

Sea can lay claim to being one of this year’s most well-participated IPOs by an Asian issuer, after more than 500 investors piled into its New York Stock Exchange flotation.

Jianpu Technology has filed for a $200m listing of American Depositary Shares, tapping three bulge bracket banks as underwriters. Hong Kong-based iClick Interactive Asia Group, meanwhile, is eyeing $100m.

China-based Rise Education has wrapped up a Nasdaq IPO worth $159.5m after pricing the stock above the initial guidance range, according to a source close to the deal.

US and non-US issuers entered the dollar bond market in a busy week, including Banco Santander, which continued its US charm offensive with a $2.5bn three-part trade.

UnitedHealth Group rescued an otherwise lacklustre week for high grade dollar bond issuance with a $4bn deal as earnings blackouts kept a lid on supply.