Credit-default swaps spreads on Volkswagen widened about 10 basis points ahead of the company's EUR4.5 billion (USD5.1 billion) bond offering, with trading remaining volatile as the company increased the size of the deal before pricing. Traders said swaps were trading at about 53 basis points two weeks ago and as the deal was announced began to inch out. On Monday, spreads widened to 75 basis points from the low 60s, traders said. "Before the deal priced [on Tuesday], the spreads bounced around, especially when the size of the deal changed," noted one trader. The initial size of the offering was EUR3 billion and at one time during the pricing it looked like it was going to be increased to as much as EUR5 billion, traders said.
May 19, 2003