Société Générale

Société Générale sold €1bn of seven year non-preferred senior floating rate notes on Friday, in a trade that could spark a trend for longer dated FRN issuance.

Emmanuel Macron’s election as French president last weekend was the catalyst for a flood of revved up euro deals this week, with issuers and investors aiming at the long end of the curve as the biggest known political risk in Europe this year passed with a market-friendly outcome. Craig McGlashan reports.

Digi Communications, the fast-growing Romanian telecoms and media group, has successfully completed a €190m IPO, the first from the country this year, despite being hit during the bookbuild by news that some of its senior executives were being investigated for bribery and money laundering, and the fact that voting rights remain controlled by the founder.

Volatility late in the week failed to dampen a scorching few days of public sector dollar issuance, auguring well for more expected supply in the currency next week. Four issuers — some of which came this week to avoid other trades pencilled in for next week — were able to price deals at tight levels, with some coming through their curves.

The SRI bond pipeline for public sector borrowers looks fit to burst, with a string of issuers planning deals and KfW setting a marker with a thumping trade this week.

Public sector issuers “can do whatever they want” in a rampant dollar market, with investors ploughing into books despite deals pricing close to or flat to their curves.

KfW has sold the largest ever new green bond issue from a supranational or European agency, printing flat to its curve with a green deal for the first time and drawing a remarkably high level of Asian investor interest for a euro trade. More SRI issuance is on the way, after Dutch agency FMO announced a sustainability bond roadshow.

Public sector borrowers are rushing back into dollars after a quiet few weeks for the currency, with a trio of issuers taking indications of interest for Wednesday business.

Bpifrance Financement broke its size record on Tuesday, nipping back into capital markets ahead of several of its compatriots, according to a funding official at the issuer. The European Investment Bank (EIB) and NRW.Bank also made the most of the stable conditions, printing their own benchmarks.

KfW is set to bring its first green bond in euros in nearly a year, with the deal coming amid a flurry of conventional trades in the currency. KommuneKredit is also in the SRI pipeline, after running a roadshow to introduce its green bond framework.

Three public sector borrowers hit screens on Monday, mandating in a euro market buoyed by the defeat of National Front candidate Marine Le Pen in the final round of the French presidential election on Sunday.

Olivier Gazzolo, head of FIC credit at Société Générale, has left the bank, GlobalCapital understands.