RBC Capital Markets

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.

Royal Bank of Canada, Toronto Dominion Bank and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce all attempted to access the covered bond market on Tuesday with euros clearly showing more depth than sterling. The fact the three issuers were in the market simultaneously, whilst a fourth was monitoring the market, is not coincidental and contrasts with European and UK issuers that already have a central bank liquidity life line.

This week, it was the best of times, it was the worst of times – and despite volatility caused by the spread of the Covid-19, a trickle of MTN issuance has managed to slip through into the market.

Premier Oil’s stock surged by more than 65% on Friday after the company gave an update on its cash position following this week’s equity market slump, a positive for the banks working on its rights issue. However, the deal also hinges on a court case in Scotland.

JP Morgan appoints syndicate head for private markets — RBC loses M&A banker — Mizuho names sustainability head

One of the internal candidates to become the next permanent head of European M&A at RBC Capital Markets has quit to join a boutique.

It was a mixed picture in the dollar public sector bond market on Thursday. A Norwegian agency was able to tighten the spread of its five year fixed rate trade on the back of a well subscribed order book. But a supranational was not able to achieve the same momentum for an intraday three year Sofr-linked floating rate note.

The World Bank has surprised onlookers with a five year benchmark bond, printed into the teeth of the volatility caused by Covid-19 and an emergency rate cut from the Federal Reserve. The successful deal from the supranational has emboldened an agency to follow suit, with others expected to follow.

Clayton, Dubilier & Rice has launched a take-private bid for UK based healthcare marketing and PR firm Huntsworth, bidding an enterprise value of £524m for the company. The debt financing for the deal is a $295m term loan and a £35m revolver provided by Royal Bank of Canada.

Guarantor: CPP Investment Board (CPP Investments)

The European Investment Bank (EIB) braved “horrendous” market conditions in order to print the first Sofr trade linked to the Federal Reserve’s index.

CPPIB Capital came to market for a dollar benchmark on Wednesday, after mandating the deal last Friday. The trade had been postponed to avoid printing in the peak of the volatility sparked by the worsening Covid-19 outbreak.