South America

Colombia will become the first country to draw down on an International Monetary Fund flexible credit line (FCL), its instrument for top quality borrowers. The government is likely to use the loan — rather than bond markets — to complete its external funding needs.

After a second Latin American borrower in a week pulled plans to issue a bond, bankers are suddenly concerned that the region’s idyllic issuance conditions may be over. But with two infrequent corporates, a Colombian bank and a debut high yield name preparing deals, the extent of the deterioration should be clear soon.

FS Agrisolutions Indústria de Biocombustíveis, South America’s largest corn-based ethanol producer, delayed pricing its debut dollar bond on Wednesday as emerging market credits endured a volatile day.

Brazilian retail group Lojas Americanas began calls with investors on Wednesday as it looks to sell a benchmark dollar bond with an intermediate maturity.

A proposed debut bond from a Brazilian oil company that ratings agencies said had “high operating risk” and a “small” and concentrated asset base proved to be one step too far for the rampant EM bond market that is showing signs of nearing its peak.

Latin American business services company Atento began investor calls on Friday ahead of a proposed senior secured benchmark bond as it looks to refinance a $500m 2022 maturity.

Argentina’s recently restructured international bond curve looks further than ever from the 10% yield target that the finance minister had set. New currency controls aimed at halting the decline in international reserves have had a catastrophic impact on both corporate and sovereign bond markets, and are likely to spell major trouble in the long term, analysts say.

Argentine corporate bonds sold off sharply on Wednesday after the central bank sought to dictate how the issuers could refinance their dollar debt as part of an escalation of currency controls.

Brazilian foods company BRF fetched a 10 times oversubscribed order book on its way to a 30-year benchmark on Wednesday as appetite for Latin American risk remains irrepressible.

Latin American development bank Corporación Andina de Fomento (CAF) will continue to monitor its members’ needs before determining how much funding it has left to raise in 2020, but has covered the majority of its financing needs after increasing the size of a dollar benchmark, priced on Wednesday.

South America’s largest corn-based ethanol producer, FS Agrisolutions Indústria de Biocombustíveis (FS), will look to become the latest Latin American borrower to sell a sustainability-themed bond as it proposes a green format for its international market debut.

Brazilian food company BRF is planning a new dollar bond to finance a buy-back of euro and dollar notes maturing between 2022 and 2026 as investors say the protein sector’s strong performance this year means conditions are ideal for liability management trades.