Santander

Europe’s corporate bond market delivered on bankers’ and investors’ hopes this week, as issuers belted out €13.2bn of deals, pushing this week — by a €20m margin — into the top 10 of the market’s busiest weeks ever.

Société Générale followed up Monday’s rush of subordinated deals with a self led euro benchmark 12 year non-call seven year tier two deal and initial price thoughts offered a chunky new issue premium.

The heavy flow of European corporate bond issues that bankers have been predicting for September began in earnest today, showing that the market’s strength has been no idle boast. Investors swallowed five roadshowed deals in euros and sterling and Vodafone launched a two tranche issue without warning. All were gobbled down with ease.

Santander and UniCredit reopened the door to the additional tier one market this week only to find what lay behind it was a very different dynamic from the one borrowers experienced before summer. An expected burst of supply is on the way and historically low coupons are causing investors to shy away from the AT1 from major European banks.

Santander is out with the first additional tier one (AT1) trade from a major European bank since June, bringing just a €3.75bn book ahead of pricing for a perpetual non-call seven year deal — suggesting that the demand dynamics of the asset class may have changed since the first half of the year.

British cigarette maker Imperial Tobacco has secured financing for its $7.1bn acquisition of brands from Reynolds American, and refinanced its existing revolving credit facilities.

The additional tier one deal pipeline may have shuddered back into life earlier than expected this week as two banks announced roadshows following a rally inspired by inspired by dovish comments from European Central Bank president Mario Draghi. But volatility has since set back into the market and looks ready to test the asset class’s hardiness, writes Graham Bippart.

Concerns that there would be a dearth of additional tier one (AT1) deals ahead of the European Central Bank’s Asset Quality Review appear to be receding as Santander joins the pipeline, mandating leads for its second euro denominated AT1.

Brazilian meatpacker Minerva took advantage of an empty Latin America new issue market to fetch a well oversubscribed tap of its outstanding 2023s with a narrow premium on Thursday, increasing the planned size of the tap in the process.

French supermarket group Casino Guichard-Perrachon made the most of a quiet week in the investment grade bond market when it priced a €900m 12 year bond on Wednesday at 125bp over mid-swaps, needing almost no new issue premium to bring in €2.6bn of orders.

French supermarket group Casino Guichard-Perrachon made the most of a quiet week in the investment grade bond market when it priced a €900m 12 year bond on Wednesday at 125bp over mid-swaps, needing almost no new issue premium to bring in €2.6bn of orders.

UK firm Imperial Tobacco has signed a $13.19bn-equivalent loan to back its acquisition of brands including Winston and Maverick from Reynolds American.