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It was the busiest day's trading for some time as 30 issues were closed. Both UK and US issuers came to the market in big volume alongside the usual big German names. Abbey National Treasury Services closed two notes. It did a two-year euro500 million ($433.95 million) trade and a euro8.40 million note that reaches out to October 8 2013. General Electric Capital Corp is to issue a euro250 million FRN that settles on August 12 2003. The note pays a coupon of 3m Euribor flat and was led by Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein. Among German issuers, Landesbank Baden-Wurttemberg did two trades for euro250 million each. One of the trades is a tranche added to a euro500 million trade issued on 30 November 2001. The note was led by Barclays Capital and has a spread of 25 basis points over the OBL 138. Salomon Smith Barney (SSB) led notes for two issuers. It placed a euro10 million deal for Espirito Santo Investment. The note pays an annual coupon of 7.000% and matures on February 6 2007. SSB also led a one-year euro50 million note for Portugal Telecom International Finance. Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank closed a euro44 million note that matures on February 25 2005. The note has a fixed coupon of 3.630% and comes of the issuer's Uridashi shelf. Mizuho was the bookrunner.

Everton has become the latest UK football club to endorse the value of asset backed financing by preparing a $75m private securitisation of its future season ticket receivables via Bear Stearns. Although Bear has previously been involved in stadium financing in the US, this is the bank's first deal for a UK football club. The offering is a 25 year fixed rate deal shadow rated triple-B by Fitch. Funds raised will contribute to the club's four year debt reduction plan. Proceeds could also help buy new players and play a role in the financing of a new 55,000 seat arena in the Kings Dock in Liverpool.

A glut of Russian oil-related financings are set to come to the market over the coming four weeks, meaning that February will likely be the busiest month for Russian deals since the 1998 crisis. In total, some $1.125bn of Russian oil-related credit facilities will be launched this month - a substantial chunk of the $5bn of facilities that the Russian oil sector needs over the year. The result of the February rush for funds will undoubtedly set the tone for the prospects of the oil firms realising their year's funding needs.

Fitness First, Europe's largest health club operator, launched a £75m placing and open offer yesterday (Thursday), as it revealed annual profits above analysts' expectations. The group has expanded rapidly over recent years, and needs the cash to carry out its strategy of rolling out 80 new clubs every year.

Ford Motor Credit Corp this week launched a Eu5bn three year bond issue, the largest single tranche corporate deal in the euro sector and the second largest fixed rate corporate bond in any currency, highlighting the liquidity the euro market can now offer issuers. The auto company overcame negative market sentiment towards credit in the US, which drove Ford spreads wider over the week by 20bp-25bp against swaps in euros and by 15bp in dollars.

A glut of Russian oil-related financings are set to come to the market over the coming four weeks, meaning that February will likely be the busiest month for Russian deals since the 1998 crisis. In total, some $1.125bn of Russian oil-related credit facilities will be launched this month - a substantial chunk of the $5bn of facilities that the Russian oil sector needs over the year. The result of the February rush for funds will undoubtedly set the tone for the prospects of the oil firms realising their year's funding needs.

News this week of US fibre-optic communications operator Global Crossing's filing for protection from its creditors under Chapter 11 illustrates that the cloud of corporate bankruptcy that crept over the financial markets on either side of the Atlantic after September 11 shows no sign of clearing. Global Crossing is one of a string of corporates that has left its lenders pale.

Ford Motor Credit Corp this week launched a Eu5bn three year bond issue, the largest single tranche corporate deal in the euro sector and the second largest fixed rate corporate bond in any currency, highlighting the liquidity the euro market can now offer issuers. The auto company overcame negative market sentiment towards credit in the US, which drove Ford spreads wider over the week by 20bp-25bp against swaps in euros and by 15bp in dollars.

A quick glance at the portfolios of UK and continental European investors makes it clear that corporates looking to raise funds in euros and sterling are spoilt for choice. But although the numbers suggest that dual currency issuance may be the ideal solution for corporates looking for funding in size and at competitive levels, a closer examination of the two investor bases reveals that success does not come easy. Philip Moore reports.

Naturgas Midt-Nord has been added as an issuer to Hovedstadsregionens Naturgas' (HNG) $750 million Euro-MTN programme and the whole German dealer group have been dropped. The issuer has used its programme 39 times since it was set up in 1992. Most of HNG's trades have come in Deutschmark but its last trade was a ¥2 billion ($16.25 million) note that reaches out to 2016.

Algeria SG has arranged a $51.3m US Ex-Im Bank guaranteed loan to support an oil development project for Sonatrach.

Banks are anxiously waiting to see Liberty Media's response to the impasse developing with the German Cartel Office over the company's proposed acquisition of six of the regional cable television units being sold by Deutsche Telekom. The regulator has made clear that it will block the deal unless Liberty makes key concessions to reflect the regulator's concerns.