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Tariq Rafique, ABN Amro's global head of securitisation in London, has resigned from the Dutch bank and is widely tipped to move to Nomura - with headhunters and bankers suggesting he may get a two year contract for as much as £3m a year. Rafique deniedt he has signed any contracts and told EuroWeek: "I enjoyed working at ABN Amro and am leaving primarily because I have always wanted to marry asset securitisation technology with capital."

The global dollar corporate bond market continued to tighten this week, as the US Federal Reserve cut interest rates to their lowest levels in seven years and investors looked forward to further monetary easing in the months ahead. Citing weakness in corporate investment levels and profits, as well as slowing global growth, the FOMC cut the federal funds rate from 3.75% to 3.5%, its lowest point since 1994.

After a quiet summer season, the Scandinavian leveraged market picked up this week with the announcement that equity house Gilde Investment Management will buy out Sapa Autoplastics for Skr1.22bn. The new company will be called Plastal Group. Some 65% of the buy-out cost will be funded by senior debt with the balance in the form of equity.

After a quiet summer season, the Scandinavian leveraged market picked up this week with the announcement that equity house Gilde Investment Management will buy out Sapa Autoplastics for Skr1.22bn. The new company will be called Plastal Group. Some 65% of the buy-out cost will be funded by senior debt with the balance in the form of equity.

* European Investment Bank Rating: Aaa/AAA

Finland Nine arrangers have joined senior syndication of the debt facility for Finnish insurer Sampo.

* Aegon NV Rating: Aa3/AA-/AA-

* Barclays Bank plc Rating: Aa3/AA-

The Polish treasury will delay the sale of a Z4.3bn (Eu1.1bn) stake in Telekomunikcja Polska (TPSA), the Polish telecoms operator. The sale, which had been planned for September, has now been pushed back to December. The treasury cited difficult market conditions for the delay. But bankers suggested that problems surrounding discussions with France Télécom (FT) were crucial to events.

The bank list for the $500m dual tranche revolver for Sage Group plc has been released. The deal supports the accounting software group's $183m acquisition of Interact Commerce Corp. Deutsche Bank, HSBC, ING Bank and Wachovia join as lead managers with a final allocation of $30m.

Globals * Fannie Mae

Twenty trades were closed in US dollar on Friday, but they made up 54% of the market volume. Federal Home Loan Banks was a big contributor to this, with its $1.213 billion 18-month note. And it was not the only public finance institution in dollar - Export Development Corp closed a $100 million note that matures in 2011. The trade pays interest quarterly and was the second largest note in US dollar on Friday. French and UK borrowers were active in the currency. French names were Credit Lyonnais Finance, CDC IXIS Capital Markets and BNP Paribas. CDC IXIS Capital Markets closed the longest-dated dollar trade. The $10 million goes out to 2021 and pays a final coupon of 7.790%. Issuers from the UK were HSBC Bank, Bank of Western Australia and Beta Finance, which was the only non-banking entity to issue. Its $10 million three-year note pays interest quarterly.