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Internal documents relating to IPO allocations at Salomon Smith Barney were released by the US Committee on Financial Services this week. They showed that the bank gave preferential allocation in a number of IPOs to Bernie Ebbers and Scott Sullivan, the shamed former chief executive and chief financial officers of WorldCom. Ebbers and Sullivan were just two of a number of former WorldCom executives who have been shown to have received large allocations in IPOs from a number of companies including Travelers Property Casualty, the insurance company spun off by Citigroup in a $4bn IPO in March this year.

Rating: Aaa/AAA/AAA Amount: $1bn obligations foncières

The market tone continued to improve this week. The Republic of Italy led the way with a $3bn five year bond, completing its dollar benchmark issuance for the year. But, after speculation that triple-A borrowers might rush to the dollar market to take advantage of the build-up of cash during the recent turbulence, some bankers are sceptical about the size of the pipeline.

Cookson Group confounded its critics yesterday (Thursday) when it successfully completed its £277m rights issue and saw its share price shoot up 11.2%. The heavily indebted UK materials technology group launched its rights issue in late July, but the share price crashed to below the strike price as investors doubted whether the issue would succeed.

Rating: AA/AA+ Amount: Nkr500m

Mandated arrangers Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, DZ Bank, Deutsche Bank, LB Kiel and Mizuho (agent) have signed banks into the Eu100m three year term loan for RZB Croatia. The deal was oversubscribed and increased on signing to Eu145m. Alpha Bank, American Express Bank, Bawag, BayernLB, Commerzbank, KBC Bank, Wachovia Bank and WGZ Bank have joined as arrangers. Banca Nazionale del Lavoro International, National Bank of Kuwait, Vseobecna Uverova banka (VUB), Magyar Külkereskedelmi Bank (MKB) and Raiffeisen-Landesbank Tirol have joined as co-arrangers. eBanka, BRE Bank, Salzburger Landes-Hypothekenbank Aktienhesellschaft, HVB Group, Israel Discount Bank of New York and Zivnostenska banka joined as lead managers.

Mandated arranger RZB will close syndication of the Eu20m five year facility for Roskilde Bank over the next few days. The facility has been oversubscribed by 10%-20% and the borrower will accept the increase. The credit pays a margin of 28bp over Libor. Three levels of participation were offered: co-arranger for a take of Eu5m; lead manager for a take of $3m; and manager for a take of $2m. Proceeds will be used for working capital.

Rating: Aa3/AA- Amount: Nkr500m

Rating: Aaa/AAA/AAA Amount: Eu250m obligations foncières (fungible with two issues totalling Eu1.25bn first launched 04/05/02)

Rating: Aaa/AAA/AAA Amount: Eu65m obligations foncières CMS-linked

Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks studio is set to take the niche market of film securitisation to new heights with a $1bn deal backed by future revenues from the company's existing and future library of films. Co-arranged by FleetBoston Financial and JP Morgan and wrapped by triple-A insurer Ambac Assurance, the deal will be funded through the asset backed commercial paper markets. It is part of a $1.5bn package - including a $500m revolving credit facility arranged by JP Morgan - designed to replace DreamWorks' existing financing with debt maturing in October 2007.

Co-ordinating arranger Barclays Capital has completed the A$175m fundraising for Broadcast Australia Finance. Market participants responded positively to the deal, which was 30% oversubscribed. The borrower, however, decided not to take an increase. The facility is divided between a A$150m term loan and a A$25m working capital portion.