Dollar volumes dropped dramatically this week, from $4.78bn to $2.78bn. The dollar's share of issuance fell from 43% to 36% and the number of trades executed more than halved, dropping from 265 to 131. The fall in dollar issuance contributed more than half of the overall drop in MTN volumes during the week. Nevertheless, the dollar market remained a reliable source of funding for regulars such as Lloyds TSB Bank and BCEE Luxembourg. The UK bank was the most active, with 13 trades totalling $255m across the 2006 to 2013 part of the curve, while BCEE raised a more modest $82m in 11 trades in the 2008 to 2015 maturity range.
April 04, 2003