Dollar swap opportunities for top quality borrowers are better than they have been for a few weeks, as evidenced by several large, liquid issues by triple-A borrowers this week. All appear to have been swapped out of fixed rate dollars at generous sub-Libor levels. The parlous condition of the equity markets has afforded prestige borrowers the opportunity to offer debt at comparatively cost effective levels, said a treasury official at the World Bank, which this week priced a $500m five year transaction.
March 30, 2001