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THE FRENCH equity market is poised to host several deals from the country's rapidly restructuring corporate sector in the next few months. Several larger companies are shedding non-core businesses and rationalising existing operations ensuring that local and international investors will have opportunities to participate in the increase in efficiency that is expected to spread throughout the French industrial sector.

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CREDIT Suisse First Boston has begun pre-marketing the sale of stock in Sauer, a manufacturer of mobile hydraulic parts that is registered in the US but whose management is based in Germany. The lead manager has fully registered the deal with the US SEC before obtaining a listing in New York, although the stock will also be listed on the main market in Frankfurt.

CREDIT SUISSE First Boston has won the mandate for a sale of shares in a privately owned Russian company, a rarity in the international markets but also a transaction that investors are expected to greet enthusiastically. The shares in Akrikhin, a pharmaceutical concern, will offer international institutions a welcome alternative to companies that still have strong links to the government. Investors are seeking shares in private companies as they offer a purer play on economic recovery, while many such companies are chronically undervalued.

* Council of Europe Social Development Fund Rating: Aa1/AAA

DRESDNER Kleinwort Benson and Aros Securities are about to complete their $186m sale of shares in Vestas Wind Systems. The deal was launched two weeks ago but demand has been so strong that the book was closed last week - ahead of schedule.

* Christiania Bank Rating: A2/A

* Réseau Ferré de France (RFF) Rating: Aaa/AAA/AAA

* Banesto Issuances Ltd (Cayman Islands) Guarantor: Banco Español de Crédito

Czech Republic Bayerische Landesbank and Crédit Lyonnais are to appoint co-arrangers early next week for their facility for Radiomobil, the Czech mobile telephone operator. The two arrangers tried to launch a DM300m deal for it in November 1997 but postponed it due to poor market conditions. This time the deal is for DM250m and the terms and conditions have been improved. The tenor is still five years, but the pricing may be higher than the November loan which carried a margin of 30bp over Libor. The loan is not non-recourse, as had been thought by some in the market.

* Grupo Jose de Mello, the private Portuguese group with interests in finance, insurance and food production, will sell up to 9.1m shares in Cia de Seguros Imperio on the Lisbon stock exchange. The deal will represent around 20% of the insurer's equity capital. Grupo Mello holds around 73.7% of Imperio through a variety of sub-holdings. Gan of France owns 10.2% and Imperio already has a free float of around 16.1% in Lisbon

* Bayerische Vereinsbank AG Rating: Aa2/AA+