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Rating: Baa1/BBB+ Amount: $300m

Is veteran stock market strategist, Barton Biggs, trying to upstage Father Christmas? The craggy Morgan Stanley crystal ball gazer is saying that global stockmarkets could rise by 50% in 2003. One chief executive of a major investment bank said to us: "If old Farty Barty is right, the industry will recommend that he be canonised because he will have pulled us all out of a hole."

Financial repackaged entities closed $588m from 27 trades. Deutsche Bank was especially active through its Earls vehicles. The bank's largest transaction was a ¥2bn note through Earls Four. The deal pays a coupon of 1.85% and matures on June 21, 2011. Supranationals issued 30 trades over the week for nearly $730m. Yen was the prominent currency here, including the European Investment Bank's ¥3bn trade via Mizuho. The FX/currency-linked hybrid pays annual interest of 4% until December 15, 2005. Thereafter interest is linked to the yen/dollar exchange rate. The trade was placed at the same time as a £100m issue.

Issuance between five to seven years was strong this week. Over $1.17bn was issued from 76 trades in this maturity range. UK borrowers were the most active by nationality, issuing 18 notes. Royal Bank of Scotland issued four dollar deals, a euro trade and a HK$100m note. The Hong Kong dollar deal pays a quarterly coupon of 3.7% and has a five year tenor.

Double-A issuance edged out triple-A trading by just over $12m. While banks dominated double-A volume, some corporates were also active. TotalFinaElf Capital closed a £75m note that is fungible 40 days from the payment date with a £150m issue launched on August 20. The new deal was increased from £50m and matures on September 10, 2007. Royal Bank of Canada Europe was the lead dealer.

Amount: Eu1bn Rating: Fitch and Standard & Poor's

JP Morgan and Citigroup/SSSB have underwritten the debt facilities backing the $1.5bn Texas Pacific Group (TPG), Bain Capital and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners sponsored buy-out of Burger King from Diageo. The facilities are split into a $100m and a $750m five year term loan. As the deal is guaranteed by Diageo plc, it features corporate-style margins of 45bp over Libor. There is also a $100m revolver.

UK food and drink group Cadbury Schweppes this week announced its proposed $4.2bn cash acquisition of US confectioner Adams from Pfizer. The takeover will be financed by a $6.1bn syndicated loan.

UK food and drink group Cadbury Schweppes this week announced its proposed $4.2bn cash acquisition of US confectioner Adams from Pfizer. The takeover will be financed by a $6.1bn syndicated loan.

Don't sell Sandy Weill short. This was the message from a pal who very recently spent several hours with the chairman and chief executive of Citigroup. Although it has been a bummer of a year for Weill, we totally agree that you underestimate the great man at your peril.

Citigroup/SSSB has sealed its 14th arrangership of 2002 with the signing of DekaBank's Eu10bn debt issuance programme. The borrower and arranger are joined on the dealer panel by BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley and UBS Warburg. DekaBank becomes the ninth German borrower to enter the EuroMTN market this year. German entities have been the most active issuers in the market in 2002, closing over $74bn of private placements.

Rating: Aa2/AA Amount: Skr400m