Xstrata yesterday (Thursday) provided a much needed boost to the equity capital markets when it announced a £650m equity offering to finance the $2.5bn acquisition of coal assets from Glencore, the Swiss mineral resources trader. The deal will be the first big-ticket marketed offering in Europe this year, and is a coup for JP Morgan, which is financial adviser to Xstrata, global co-ordinator and bookrunner for the equity offering, and a lead arranger and bookrunner on a $2bn loan facility.
February 22, 2002