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* Rabobank Nederland NV Rating: Aaa/AAA/AAA

Tele Danmark has increased the limit off its debt issuance programme to $3 billion from $2 billion.

Tecnost International Finance has concluded a two-year euro400 million ($346.2 million) note to be issued on June 11. The note pays interest singularly and is the issuer's first trade of 2001.

Carnival Corporation, the US cruise ship operator, has sold £349m of shares in Airtours through a UBS Warburg and Deutsche Bank led accelerated bookbuild. Carnival announced the deal, which enabled it to offload its 25.1% stake in Airtours, on Monday morning, at the same time as Airtours announced its interim results. The deal was priced on Tuesday evening at 284p per share, just below the closing price of 285p. The shares slipped 15p on Monday from an opening price of 291p.

HSBC (bookrunners), Royal Bank of Scotland (facility agent) and WestLB (documentation agent) have won the mandate to arrange a Eu200m five year revolver for Safeway plc, the supermarket chain. The loan will be launched on Tuesday 29 May. The facility will be used for general corporate purposes and to refinance a £200m five year revolver from 1997. That loan backed the borrower's purchase of Ireland-based Fitzwilton Wellworth and drawings were made by Safeway Ireland, guaranteed by Safeway.

US insurance firm American International Group this week hit back at critics of its stance on the Hollywood Funding film finance securitisations, which were credit enhanced by AIG insurance policies, after the English Court of Appeal published a judgment on a related case. The Hollywood deals were a string of securitisations that Credit Suisse First Boston placed privately for Flashpoint Ltd, a Jersey registered film finance company, in 1997 and 1998.

Globals * Fannie Mae

US Bank National Association has raised the ceiling off its global bank note programme from $20 billion to $30 billion. Goldman Sachs has replaced Lehman Brothers as arranger. Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette, First Chicago and Painewebber were dropped as dealers while Banc of America Securities, Credit Suisse First Boston and Deutsche Bank were added as dealers.

* Bendigo Bank Ltd Rating: BBB-/BBB (S&P/Fitch)

Following the additions to its technology, media and telecoms (TMT) group last week, ABN Amro has made a series of hires to its global public sector coverage group, headed by Carole Anne Menzi Collier. Michael Fredlund, who used to be senior investment manager for State Enterprises in Sweden, becomes head of public sector for the Nordic region. He has also worked for the Swedish ministry of industry and trade and the technological and industrial development board.

Dollar swaps traded in a reasonably tight range during a week of only desultory business. This Monday's Memorial Day holiday looms in the US, while London will celebrate the Whitsun holiday on the same day. These approaching events curtailed inter-bank business this week - as did the Ascension Day holiday enjoyed by most continental European bankers yesterday (Thursday). The 10 year mid-market swap was around 78bp over Treasuries at the end of the week while the five year mid-market was 74bp over Treasuries.

The loan market is awaiting the launch of a Eu2bn facility for Spanish mobile telephone operator Amena. An arranger group, thought to consist of Barclays, BSCH IntesaBci, Deutsche and SG, has been working on meeting the company's funding need for some months. The company is looking to refinance a Eu750m bridge put in place last year by BCI, BSCH, Barclays, Deutsche and SG. The facility, which financed a GSM build-out, was structured as working capital. That loan paid 75bp in the first six months, 100bp in months seven to nine and 125bp in the last three.