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CDC Ixis Capital Markets is launching a convertible arbitrage trading book and plans to begin trading within the next three months, according to a firm official. The firm plans to set aside USD250-300 million of capital for the trading book. The desk will use credit derivatives, interest-rate swaps and equity options.

Despite market grumbles about tight pricing, over Eu1.4bn has been raised from the market for the Eu750m refinancing and CP backstop facility for Swedish lock and security firm Assa Abloy. The deal was increased to Eu825m. Arrangers ABN Amro, BNP Paribas and SEB Merchant Bank signed banks into the deal yesterday (Thursday) in Geneva.

South Africa The list of banks joining the $600m debt facility for AngloGold has been released.

Reserve capital instruments (RCIs) are to be treated as liabilities, the UK's Accounting Standards Board (ASB) confirmed yesterday (Thursday). As the EU directive on capital instruments does not allow liabilities to count as tier one, the board's pronouncement, on the surface at least, may create a problem for the RCI structure. Last October, the urgent issues task force (UITF) of the ASB issued a preliminary assessment of the direct issue tier one structure, which recommended that it be treated as a liability, rather than as shareholder funds. Now the ASB has issued an "abstract", to confirm the UITF's initial analysis.

Qantas Airways is believed to be looking to tap the market for a dollar aircraft financing. The borrower recently completed a similar deal to finance the purchase of four aircraft and the new facility will finance the delivery of a further five planes from a total consignment of 15 the borrower ordered last year. The planes are to fill the gap created by the collapse of Ansett Airlines last year and most will be used for domestic flights serving Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Adelaide, Cairns and Ayres Rock (Uluru).

Just six trades were announced in US dollar, as Monday saw the US market go quiet for the Presidents' Day holiday. Landesbank Sachsen issued a $45 million one-year FRN. Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein was the bookrunner and the note pays a monthly coupon linked to $Libor flat. It is the issuer's ninth dollar trade of 2002. Other notes for amounts between $1 million and $35 million were issued by HSBC Investment Bank (a $20 million six-week trade), Unibanco - Uniao de Bancos Brasileiros (a $1 million six-month note) and UBS (Jersey), which issued a $5.40 million 10-year trade.

Just over $1 billion was announced off 23 trades in US dollar. Rabobank Nederland issued two trades: a $25.85 million seven-year range accrual step-up note via Salomon Smith Barney and a $35.90 million multi-callable range accrual note via JPMorgan. Salomon Smith Barney also led trades for World Bank (a $20 million 20-year note), European Investment Bank (another $20 million 20-year trade) and for Abbey National Treasury International (a $8.80 million seven-year deal). Two German landesbanks were also in the market, and were led by Salomon Smith Barney. Norddeutsche Landesbank did a $100 million one-year trade and Bremer Landesbank Kreditanstalt Oldenburg closed a $70 million note, also in the one-year sector.

New rules for US research analysts, drawn up by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), are set to crack down on potential conflicts of interest and restore Chinese walls. NASD chairman Robert Glauber unveiled what he described as "a tough and comprehensive set of rules" at a conference attended by senior legislators in the US Congress as well as SEC chairman Harvey Pitt.

Austria Some 20 banks have joined syndication of the Eu500m five year revolving credit facility for OMV.

New rules for US research analysts, drawn up by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), are set to crack down on potential conflicts of interest and restore Chinese walls. NASD chairman Robert Glauber unveiled what he described as "a tough and comprehensive set of rules" at a conference attended by senior legislators in the US Congress as well as SEC chairman Harvey Pitt.

The success of GECC's $3.5bn five and 10 year global bond early this week paved the way for a revival in the dollar new issue market. By the end of the week, more than $11bn of issuance had come to market, including a blowout aggressively priced debut $3.5bn five and 10 year global bond for General Mills. Although primary issuance was thin in the fixed rate euro market, bankers report a calmer sentiment and an increase in investor activity, with spreads having remained firmer over the week.