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Huntington has dropped Deutsche Bank as a dealer off its $2 billion programme for the issuance of debt instruments. Goldman Sachs has been added to the panel.

Hysan, the Hong Kong property developer, is set to sign a $1 billion Euro-MTN programme on December 7. The facility has been joint-arranged by Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley. The signing of the programme further boosts the real estate sector following the signing of HVB Real Estate's euro25 billion ($22.25 billion) Euro-MTN programme last month. And issuance in the sector has been particularly strong since September, considering the relatively small number of real estate issuers - just eight. Collectively they have raised $757.03 million. Unibail, the most frequent issuer in the sector, has seen its issuance soar since September 11 (see MTNWeek, issue 257). Mitsui Fudosan International Capital closed a ¥4 billion ($32.51 million) note and fellow Hong Kong issuer, Sun Hung Kai Properties Capital Market, has also been active since September. One dealer spoke to MTNWeek last month and said: "The real-estate sector has proven itself by holding in the market very well in an unsettled period." The dealer panel comprises the arrangers, BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank (also the IPA), Goldman Sachs, HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank and UBS Warburg.

British Land, the UK's third largest property company, this week launched the long awaited £825m whole business securitisation of the Meadowhall shopping centre near Sheffield. Lead managed by Morgan Stanley, RBS Financial Markets and Schroder Salomon Smith Barney, the deal is the second sterling denominated UK commercial mortgage backed securitisation this week, following the £547m European Loan Conduit 8, also arranged by Morgan Stanley.

Kvaerner's restructuring efforts were given a boost yesterday (Thursday) by the successful completion of a NKr2bn (Eu251m) accelerated equity issue. The capital increase, which was sold at the top of the initial range of NKr4-NKr8, will reinforce the restructuring proposals from Kvaerner's largest shareholder Aker Maritime.

Chile ABN Amro and JP Morgan are in the market with a $220m five year refinancing for Chile's third largest electricity generator, Empresa Electrica Colbun Machicura.

Several Latin American issuers are planning to make a last minute dash to the international bond markets in the next two weeks to soak up still good levels of cash among investors and exploit a continued decoupling of the asset class from Argentina's woes. Barbados has chosen Bear Stearns for a $150m 20 year bond issue at 225bp-237.5bp. The offering, rated Ba2/A-, is expected in the next few days.

Portman Building Society has decided to take some of its favourite dealers for a spin. Morgan Stanley's sporty Euro-MTN trader Frair Appleby-Walker went off to take control of the wheel on the go-karting event organized for the issuer's relationship banks. CSFB's Simon Hill was not tempted to trade his second-hand silver Ferrari in for a go-kart though. He went for a different kind of ride in Northumberland on a 17-hand-high beast. Simon had a fantastic time galloping across the moors of Northern England, but the horse had to register its protest when they got back to the stable. It stood on Simon's foot, not once, but twice, which cannot have been just an accident. The boys at Islandsbanki have had to be separated. Ingvar Ragnarsson and party man Bill Symington have led a happy funding desk in Reykjavik for some time. But Bill has now moved to London, so Leak hopes Ingvar won't get too lonely without his drinking buddy. Morgan Stanley's head Euro-MTN trader has been on tenterhooks this week. The bank has reached its fiscal year end, which means bonus time is drawing near. But Klaus Svendsen has something much more important to think about... he's about to become a father for the first time.

The United Mexican States surprised the markets on Monday by issuing a $1bn addition to its $1.5bn 8.3% 2031 global bond, after receiving what is believed to have been a $700m-plus reverse enquiry order from one of the world's biggest corporate bond investors. The deal, led by JP Morgan, was priced at 95.00 or half a point below outstandings, to yield 8.774%, lower than the 9.02% yield at which it launched the original deal.

* Merrill Lynch has sold its private client business in South Africa only a week after announcing the sale of its Canadian private client and asset management division. The Johannesburg and Durban units - with over 5,600 clients - has been acquired by local firm Sanlam Private Investments, a subsidiary of Sanlam Investment Management.

Finland Sonera received strong demand for its Eu1.1bn rights offering, which was closed yesterday (Thursday). Take-up for the offering was 99.79%. This means that the underwriting syndicate of Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank will not have to subscribe for any shares.

* Fortis Finance NV Guarantor: Fortis (B), Fortis (NL) NV