Russia
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Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works, the second largest steel producer in Russia is embarking on a roadshow for a dollar benchmark five year bond — its first for 16 years. -
Russian borrowers are making their presence felt in international capital markets. Two syndicated loans are expected to close this week, as well as a bond from a steel manufacturer. The sovereign is also eyeing up the the primary bond market, but the threat of further US sanctions still looms.
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Two Russian loans are expected to close within the next few weeks, according to bankers, but due to sanctions Russian syndications remain few and far between.
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Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK) placed a $500m seven year bond on Wednesday inside its own curve and at its tightest ever spread to the Russian sovereign, according to a lead manager on the deal.
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US Energy Secretary Rick Perry said on Tuesday that a sanctions bill restricting companies involved in Russia's Nord Stream 2 project would come in the “not too distant future”. That left investors wondering how and if this will affect their portfolios as bond bankers dredged up memories of when Nord Stream 1 was on track to print its own international bond through BNP Paribas before capital markets sanctions were imposed on Russia in 2014.
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Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK)’s $500m seven year bond drew a book in excess of $1.5bn on Wednesday morning allowing leads to tighten initial guidance, which they said offered a 30bp new issue concession.
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Loan bankers are coming to the painful realisation that emerging markets borrowers will be increasingly drawn to the bond market this year. Conditions there are becoming ever more attractive, perpetuating a decline in global loan volumes. But those companies abandoning loans for bonds should bear in mind the advantages of the loans market, not least its resilience.
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NLMK, the Russian steel producer, is likely to keep its approaching benchmark small and tightly priced, according to an investor who met with the borrower on Monday.
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UniCredit's London-based head of corporate loan syndication for central and eastern Europe, Russia and the CIS has retired.
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Russian Rail’s debut green Eurobond last week met with strong demand, but some investors had reservations about buying green bonds from a company owned by the Russian state and used to transport fossil fuels. Antonio Keglevich, UniCredit’s head of sustainability bond origination, responded to the criticism.
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Russian Railways launched the first international green bond from its home country on Thursday, a €500m eight year bond. While many emerging market investors were keen to look at the paper, despite the US considering a new round of Russian sanctions, several green investors disliked the company’s ESG enough to not participate.
