Qatar

Strong demand from yield starved eurozone investors has triggered a flurry of MTNs from Middle-East issuers.

Qatar based Ahli bank has established a $1.5bn euro medium term note programme via a special purpose vehicle.

The RMB is now the most active currency used by the United Arab Emirates and Qatar for direct payments with China and Hong Kong, the latest data from the Swift shows. This is despite global expectation of a further weakening in the renminbi.

Qatar has signed its $5.5bn five year loan with 13 banks in the syndicate. The six underwriting banks are holding at least $4.2bn of the loan between them, according to a banker on the deal.

South Korean construction firm SK Engineering & Construction Co has signed a $100m loan for general corporate purposes from three Middle Eastern banks.

Qatar's Doha Bank signed a $575m two year loan on Thursday, increasing the deal from the launch size of $500m.

Commercial Bank of Qatar signed its $1bn loan refinancing on Wednesday, increasing the deal from $800m in syndication. However, bankers said it was fortunate to have got the deal done before Middle Eastern loan margins rise.

Commercial Bank of Qatar has signed its $1bn loan refinancing and increased the deal from $800m in syndication, but bankers said it was fortunate to have got the deal done in time before Middle Eastern loan margins rise.

Qatar National Bank priced its first Australian dollar deal on Tuesday.

Kuwait petrochemical firm Equate is scheduled to complete its $6bn loan this week, while Oman and Qatar continue syndicating their sovereign loans.

Doha Bank is syndicating a $500m two year loan and commitments are due in mid-December. But at least three bankers have told GlobalCapital that they think the pricing is tight.

Kuwait petrochemicals firm Equate is scheduled to complete syndication of $6bn of loans this week.