South America

Peru’s ability to decouple itself from troubles in emerging markets should safeguard its standing in global debt markets as it becomes a more frequent issuer, said the country’s bond head.

Two Brazilian lenders have concluded buybacks of subordinated notes, with Banco Votorantim easily passing its target and Banco BMG getting close.

Banco ABC Brasil has become the fourth Brazilian lender and sixth Brazilian issuer to launch a tender offer for existing debt in the last month as low dollar prices make bond buybacks attractive.

With the world’s top financiers and policy makers ready to descend on Lima for the annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank this week, Peruvian finance minister Alonso Segura has said that the South American sovereign is likely to issue more frequently in international bond markets.

Brazilian meatpacker Marfrig Global Foods has hired Braskem’s popular head of investor relations to lead its investor relations and strategic planning departments.

Five Brazilian borrowers have tender offers underway on dollar bonds as those issuers with the cash to spare are taking advantage of rapid drops in secondary market prices.

It is said that if all forestry management was conducted like Sweden’s SCA, there would be no climate change problem. It is said, specifically, by SCA’s vice president for environmental affairs, Patrik Isaksson. “Yes,” he says cheerfully. “Let me explain that provocative statement.”

Brazilian meatpacker Marfrig wasted no time in putting the proceeds of its sale of UK subsidiary Moy Park to work, launching a tender offer for old dollar bonds the day after the deal was closed.

Bondholders have given Banrisul a stronger response to its tender offer for subordinated debt than they gave Brazilian peer Banco BMG in the early bird phase, but not as overwhelming a response as they gave Banco Votorantim, as Brazilian banks look to repurchase expensive bonds.

The Argentine province of Neuquén said it would make a second attempt to sell a dollar-denominated bond “when market conditions are more stable and convenient”, after the region’s government did not approve the interest rates that investors were seeking.

With local currency devaluations hurting dollar bond issuers across Latin America, Peruvian sugar cane producer Corporación Azucarera del Perú (Coazucar) has launched a tender offer for up to $165m of international bonds.

Sellside bankers desperate to generate business in a stormy LatAm debt market will have been pleased. For as a lesson for issuers in the benefits of sacrificing a few basis points in the interests of getting a deal done, Colombia’s long 10 year on Monday was as good as they come.