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TRI, owner of cellular telcom operator Celcom, is on the road with lead manager and bookrunner Crédit Lyonnais Securities Asia (CLSA), seeking the equivalent of up to $368m as part of the company's restructuring and recapitalisation package. The result of the placement should be known at the end of next week. Even if funds around the world agree to take the placement, their commitment is contingent on the completion of a new debt package in Malaysian ringgits and on signing of an underwriting agreement for a one-for-one rights issue.

In a surprise move, CapitaLand has appointed Goldman Sachs as financial adviser for the planned relaunch of its SingMall Property Trust (SingMall) flotation. When the deal was first attempted in November, UBS Warburg, along with DBS, held the prestigious mandate, which involved the creation of the first public real estate investment trust (REIT) in Singapore. The appointment has shocked the market. Goldman Sachs was reprimanded by the Singapore authorities last year for its role as adviser to DBS. Also, the US bank has only a small presence in the Australian property trust market, which is the nearest to Singapore geographically, whereas UBS is widely considered the most experienced arranger and executor of property trust floats and fund raisings in Australia. Nikko Salomon Smith Barney and Nomura managed the two first REIT deals out of Japan.

* Following the fall of Global Crossing, Hutchison Whampoa and Singapore Technologies have signed a letter of intent to buy a controlling stake in the US fibre optic company for $750m. Hutchison and Singapore Technologies have submitted a restructuring plan to the US bankruptcy court under which they will recapitalise the company, scale down its $12bn in debt and prepare it for a revitalisation in broadband demand. The debt restructuring with the company's creditors is expected to last for several months.

Australia In a quiet week in Australia, UBS Warburg and KTM Capital completed a placement to raise A$78m for KAZ Computing Services. The deal was priced on Tuesday at the bottom end of the A$0.90-A$0.98 bookbuild range.

Hysan Development launched its $200m 10 year Eurodollar bond issue to a rousing reception last Friday, but had to pay up for the privilege. With price guidance of 185bp over US Treasuries, the transaction eventually came out at 200bp - a price that joint lead managers Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley attributed to the property rental corporate's ambition to appeal to a broad investment base.

JG Summit finished pricing its $100m four year Eurodollar issue on Monday, after a short but noticeable delay. ING Barings was sole lead manager for the corporate deal, which stands as the first from the Philippines for over two years. Following a roadshow two weeks ago, pricing on the Reg S but non-144A transaction was delayed last week. This led to speculation that ING was having difficulty attracting investors.

Cheap pricing and the exclusion of a public offer could not prevent Media Partners International shares from slumping yesterday (Thursday) on their first day of trading. BNP Paribas Peregrine arranged the flotation on the Growth Enterprise Market. The deal completed a difficult two weeks for outdoor advertising companies active in the China market. Three have listed in Hong Kong in recent weeks, with varying success.

National Power Corp (Napocor) was ready to give the green light for its $500m seven year bond issue today (Friday). Opinion in Asia is deeply sceptical about the rationale and cost effectiveness of the deal, which is guaranteed by the sovereign and is the first Asian issue to carry political risk insurance (PRI). Bear Stearns is acting as bookrunner, with JP Morgan participating as joint lead manager. Sovereign Risk, a subsidiary of XL Insurance is providing the PRI, which costs 40bp. The issue was originally scheduled for the third quarter of last year, but was postponed due to market conditions.

Taiwan's equity market has had a hectic week, absorbing three deals from new technology names. Credit Suisse First Boston on Tuesday priced a $175m convertible for Ritek Corp, Citibank Taipei closed a $70m deal for Chunghwa Picture Tubes last Friday, and Deutsche Bank and Merrill Lynch yesterday (Thursday) launched an issue for Macronix International. When Deutsche and Merrill went out into the market yesterday on behalf of Macronix, indicative terms showed a deal size of roughly $155m, with a $31m greenshoe. The actual size is based on conversion into 157.5m shares, and the greenshoe was calculated at 31.5m shares. By late evening Hong Kong time, the leads had priced the issue at a healthy 20% premium and a yield to put of 3.55%, equivalent to interpolated US Treasuries plus 15bp per year.

* AIG SunAmerica Funding II Rating: Aaa/AAA

Transactions increased: * Abbey National Treasury Services plc

Credit events in the US, both perceived and actual, dragged corporate spreads wider this week, making life uncomfortable for issuers seeking to access the bond markets. Having been blind to the possibility of bankruptcies such as Enron, investors now see the possibility of a credit event at every turn. With no major transactions in the dollar pipeline, the US agencies are set to dominate the sector in the next two weeks. Freddie Mac will auction a $6bn February 2005 Reference Note on February 12 and will give details, probably next week, of a 30 year issue to be sold on February 15. The same day, Fannie Mae is due to announce a two or a three year transaction. Next week should also see an announcement of callable Benchmark issuance from Fannie Mae. Nationwide Life Global Funding has awarded a mandate to ABN Amro and Credit Suisse First Boston to lead a benchmark dollar transaction in an intermediate maturity following a roadshow in Europe and the US next week. This week, the ADB made its first appearance for two years, raising $2bn in a five year global bond issue on the back of strong Asian demand, but, despite meticulous preparation, events conspired against the deal, which was also hampered by ambitious pricing. Ford Motor Credit Co dominated the euro corporate sector, raising an unprecedented Eu5bn of three year bonds, but again events took the shine off the deal, which widened in aftermarket trading to 194bp/192bp against 188bp over the Bobl at launch. Next week will be sovereign and utility week in the euro market. First to come is Portugal's syndicated 10 year OT via Banco Espirito Santo, CAI, Citigroup/ SSSB and Deutsche. The Eu2bn-Eu2.5bn transaction will mature on June 15, 2012 and bankers are expecting price talk in the region of 27bp-30bp over the January 2012 Bund. The Hellenic Republic is next in line with a Eu4bn five year benchmark to be led by Citigroup/SSSB, HSBC, Lehman Brothers and Piraeus. Bankers expect the new deal to be priced at around 5bp over the January 2007 Bund. Italy this week announced that it would be issuing a 15 year BTP for the first time via a syndicated transaction to be led by Citigroup/SSSB, ING Barings and UBM. Spain is also looking at issuing a 15 year syndicated transaction in March. On the utility front, Suez, through new entity GIE Suez Alliances, is expected imminently with a Eu1bn plus seven year transaction priced in the mid-swaps plus the high 60s area. Union Fenosa, rated A2/A, will shortly launch a Eu500m five year bond with pricing in the high 50s over mid-swaps. And EnBW, Germany's third largest utility, rated A2/A, is to launch the debut benchmark off its Eu3bn EMTN programme. The expected size is Eu1bn-Eu1.5bn, possibly split into two tranches, in seven and/or 10 years. Leads are Barclays Capital and Deutsche Bank. Meanwhile, Vattenfall is still expected to seek Eu1.5bn. Giacomelli, a European leader in sportswear retail, has awarded a mandate to AbaxBank and Banca Akros-Gruppo BPM for its debut euro offering. A Eu100m five year deal is expected at 380bp-400bp over mid-swaps. Pitney Bowes, rated Aa3/AA, has appointed Goldman Sachs to lead its debut euro bond issue, which will be of intermediate maturity. Europe's largest sugar manufacturer, Südzucker, rated A1, will launch a Eu500m fixed rate issue through Deutsche Bank. ThyssenKrupp, rated BBB, has awarded the mandate for a benchmark euro bond to CSFB and DrKW. The bond is expected to have a five to seven year maturity and to be for at least Eu750m. Northern Rock, rated A2/A, has awarded the mandate for a senior debt offering to Merrill Lynch and UBS Warburg. Meanwhile a Eu300m GIC issue for New York Life Funding, rated Aa1/AA+, will be launched today (Friday) by Goldman Sachs. n