South America

Banco Davivienda is preparing what would be the first additional tier one (AT1) bond issue from Colombia’s banking sector, with the country’s second largest lender having begun investor calls on Monday ahead of a proposed perpetual non-call 10 year Basel-III compliant AT1.

Colombian bank GNB Sudameris held investor calls on Monday ahead of a proposed Basel III-compliant subordinated note that could be priced as soon as Tuesday. This will be GNB’s third attempt to issue in the past year.

Chilean car seller Automotores Gildemeister is seeking bondholder permission for a restructuring that would see senior secured creditors receive all the company’s equity and a combination of secured and unsecured bonds. Unsecured bondholders — who will be offered a far more meagre recovery — have hired legal advisors.

Mexico’s deputy finance minister Gabriel Yorio told GlobalCapital on Wednesday that a block of Latin American countries was forming to ensure that the plight of middle-income economies was not forgotten as the world looks for ways to alleviate financial pressures on developing countries.

Latin American oil and gas company GeoPark may return to bond markets in the near future as it looks to finance a tender offer for up to $255m of its $425m of 6.5% senior unsecured 2024s.

Automotores Gildemeister, the distributor of Hyundai cars in Chile and other South American countries, is set to file for bankruptcy with the support of its bondholders after missing a coupon payment on its $510m senior secured 7.5% 2025s on April 1. The process is set to reduce the company’s debt by $200m, said the issuer

Empresas CMPC, the Chilean pulp and paper producer, priced a sustainability-linked bond inside its curve on Wednesday, leaving no doubt that Latin American issuers can still garner a material pricing benefit from ESG debt, even as emerging market bonds feel the pressure from US Treasury volatility.

Chile’s head of international finance said that the sovereign’s debut in the Formosa bond market this week was a natural continuation of the diversification of its funding sources, as Asian investors bought more than half of the government’s $1.5bn 32-year sustainable bond. The government has now issued green, social and sustainable notes in international markets.

Just over two months after it last issued internationally, Chile returned to primary markets on Tuesday with a sustainable Formosa bond. The deal was the second ever Formosa from a Latin American sovereign and comes as Chile makes efforts to diversify its funding sources.

Argentina’s largest province, Buenos Aires, has extended the expiry date on its debt exchange for the 14th time. But unless the province makes important improvements to the terms, the offer has no chance of success.

Empresas CMPC, the Chilean pulp and paper producer, began investor meetings on Monday ahead of a proposed sustainability-linked bond (SLB) that investors say is likely to attract strong demand as long as the volatility seen in rates market on Monday does not worsen.

Bonds issued by the Province of Buenos Aires enjoyed a rally this week as some investors sensed a restructuring agreement is closer, even as a group of bondholders finally lost patience and sued Argentina’s largest province in New York’s courts.