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Czech Republic Deputy finance minister of the Czech Republic, Eduard Janota, has said that the Czech central bank will consider in early March a Eurobond issue this year. An alternative may be to look at ways of improving foreign access to the domestic bonds market - the most developed in emerging Europe.

France Télécom (FT) this week generated Eu22bn in demand for a Eu3.1bn exchangeable bond that could provide a ray of light in an increasingly cloudy sky for the telecoms operator. On Tuesday the lead managers of the Eu10bn-Eu11bn IPO of FT's mobile unit, Orange, were forced to lower the price range by 18% to attract quality investors into the book. The move helped generate even greater interest in the equity-linked paper, which was more than eight times oversubscribed with over 1,000 orders. The equity issue is also covered, but selling the stock has been difficult for the issuer and the banks involved.

The telecoms sector widened this week as France Télécom once again cut the price range for the IPO of its mobile arm, Orange, renewing fears that Europe's telecoms companies will struggle to fulfil the debt reduction programmes put in place to maintain their ratings. The reduction in the price range for the equity issue lowers the valuation of Orange from Eu55bn-Eu65bn to Eu46bn-Eu35bn. However, a spokesperson for France Télécom told EuroWeek that the cut should not put pressure on the company's ratings.

Patientline, a UK-based provider of bedside entertainment and communication services in hospitals, plans to raise £30m-£50m (Eu47m-Eu78m) from its listing on the LSE's Aim in the first quarter. ING Barings will manage the issue. The company is at the forefront of an apparently lucrative market. The UK government has recently published regulations that bedside televisions and telephones should be available in all major hospitals in England by 2004. Patientline has been awarded one of three government licences to implement this plan.

* Bayerische Handelsbank AG Rating: AAA

Philips Electronics is due to sign a $2.5 billion global CP programme on Monday, February 12. Citibank is the arranger. It is only the second Dutch issuer to ever sign a global CP, following Shell Finance, which signed its $6 billion global CP facility in July last year. Citibank arranged seven Euro- and global CP shelves in 2000 for Finance for Danish Industry, Electrolux, Prudential, Achmea Holding, Kerr McGee, CIC Funding and one also for itself.

Poland's Eu750m 2011 launched last year prompted a raft of new mandates this week including two corporates and two first time issuers. Bankers said that the sovereign bond has served to whet investor appetites at a time when Polish credit is back in vogue. Falling inflation and interest rates, a narrowing current account deficit and re-accelerating growth have combined to drive a wave of demand for more Polish exposure, with German banks and funds thought to be at the forefront.

Republic of Italy has ended the week with a 30-year euro150 million ($146.81 million) note that pays a single coupon of 23.19% at the end of the tenor. It is the longest note the borrower has issued since joining the MTN market in July 1998. And euro accounts for over 50% of the issuer's debt off the $24 billion programme, having raised $11.35 billion-worth in the currency to date.

The Republic of Portugal this week announced the establishment of a buyback window to repurchase selected bonds, representing a first step of a larger debt exchange programme that will be carried out by the Portuguese government debt agency (IGCP) throughout 2001. Under this programme, Portugal will repurchase some old less liquid bonds and will refinance them through the issuance of standard Portuguese treasury bonds (OTs) aiming at increasing the liquidity of Portugal's debt by concentrating it in larger issues that can be actively traded on the secondary market.

Ryanair, the Irish budget airline, announced this week that it will issue new shares worth about £120m (Eu188m). The deal will consist of 10m ordinary shares, representing 2.8% of the existing share capital. Michael O'Leary, Ryanair's CEO, also intends to sell 3m shares of the 30m he owns. He will offer the bookrunners 1m shares to cover any over-allotment. The capital raised will be used to purchase 13 new Boeing 737s. The company may also purchase further second-hand aircraft.

Denmark Handelsbanken Markets, a division of Svenska Handelsbanken, has won the mandate to arrange a $100m five year multi-currency revolver for Copenhagen Airport. General syndication will be launched at the end of February with a corporate presentation scheduled for March 13 in Copenhagen, after the presentation of the annual accounts for 2000.

Svensk Exportkredit issued a 31-year yen trade, its second this year. The ¥200 million ($1.73 million) note is non-syndicated and is issued under the issuer's $10 billion Asian MTN programme. The trade pays a final coupon of 8% and is the seventh yen trade to be sold off the Asian shelf.