Pre-migration untagged articles

Just as we were about to complain that financial markets were duller than ditch water, along came Refco to remind us that even the most prestigious investment banks and law firms can be caught with their trousers at half mast. Refco wasn't large in the same way as Cargill, but it had a derring-do reputation in trading commodities and financial futures. Refco has offices all over the world, but the fact that it preferred to keep itself to itself only added to the myth of a closely held trading house which was usually one step ahead of the game.

La Caixa has piqued the interest of fellow issuers and covered bond bankers by launching the first foreign currency cédulas hipotecarias, a £300m 10 year floating rate note. The mortgage law governing the cédulas market is ambiguous about how closely Spanish covered bonds have to match the mortgage collateral, and until recently many market participants were unconvinced that a foreign currency trade was permissible.

Leak would like to thank the likely lads on the CP desk at UBS for an entertaining evening at Coq d'Argent in the heart of the City of London this week.

LeasePlan Corp, the world's second largest car fleet manager, plans to become the first corporate borrower to tap the structured EMTN market regularly. It aims to raise 25% of its funding requirements with structured notes by the end of next year.

LeasePlan Corp, the world's second largest car fleet manager, plans to become the first corporate borrower to tap the structured EMTN market regularly. It aims to raise 25% of its funding requirements with structured notes by the end of next year.

In these columns last week, we said that the refloating of Parmalat in Italy was being treated as the most exciting event since the Resurrection.

EuroWeek has learned that Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch are preparing to launch the £150m IPO of a company comprising the Pizza Express, Ask and Zizzi chains of Italian restaurants in the UK.

Poland trumpeted its return to the global dollar market this week with a two tranche transaction priced at the tight end of guidance through leads Lehman Brothers and JP Morgan.

EuroWeek has learned that Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch are preparing to launch the £150m IPO of a company comprising the Pizza Express, Ask and Zizzi chains of Italian restaurants in the UK.

Banco Popular Español positioned itself at the tight end of the cédulas market this week with the launch of its inaugural issue, a Eu2.5bn seven year transaction.