Société Générale

Germany’s Henkel, a chemical and consumer goods company, launched a dual tranche sterling bond on Monday, as bankers said the busy high grade market was showing signs of saturation.

Assicurazioni Generali has become the first European financial institution to launch a green tier two bond. The Italian insurer attracted €3.25bn of orders, helping it to price its €750m deal about 10bp inside fair value, according to a syndicate banker.

Verallia, the French maker of bottles and jars, has begun bookbuilding for its €962m IPO, which will be the largest flotation in France more than two years.

The Republic of Kazakhstan and the State of Montenegro have mandated for the first euro bonds from the CEEMEA region since the market re-opened in September.

China National Chemical Corp (ChemChina) is seeking lenders’ consent to amend terms of a $5.5bn dual-tranche loan sealed last year, as it undergoes a debt restructuring, according to bankers.

Budweiser Brewing Company Apac has revived its Hong Kong IPO two months after a headline-grabbing flop. But a smaller target size, a stamp of approval from a high-profile cornerstone investor and the off-loading of an unattractive chunk of its business all mean that the firm has a better chance of success this time around. Jonathan Breen reports.

Wells Fargo hasn't wasted time in the bond market this week. It launched a euro senior bond on Wednesday, a day after raising sterling debt. Concurrently, Spanish lender Kutxabank was marketing a senior non-preferred bond in euros, its debut in the format.

A smaller deal size, a high-profile cornerstone investor and plenty of early engagement with investors have put Budweiser Brewing Company Apac’s second attempt at a Hong Kong IPO on solid ground.

Italian banks are taking advantage of excellent new issuance conditions, as investors re-establish their confidence in the country's new government. On Tuesday it was Banca Monte dei Paschi’s turn to do so with a euro-denominated preferred senior bond, one day after UniCredit and Intesa Sanpaolo.

CaixaBank launched a non-preferred senior bond linked to social causes on Tuesday, while Raiffeisen Bank International launched a green preferred senior bond. Both deals were heavily oversubscribed on a day that one banker described as 'ridiculously busy'.

Most investment grade corporate bonds issued over the past weeks have had intermediate to longer tenors, but on Monday issuance tilted towards the shorter end, as GlaxoSmithKline printed two negative yielding tranches.

UniCredit has become the first Italian bank to launch a new deal since a new government took office in the country. The €1.25bn tier two attracted €3bn of orders and was tightened more than expected, according to one of the leads.