South America

Brazilian airline Gol reopened its convertible bonds for a further $80m last week, taking advantage of a strong performance of its existing bonds and stock to achieve pricing that the CFO described as “fantastic” and leave the company in a position to continue its liability management.

Latin American borrowers continue to make up for lost time amid encouraging issuance conditions as debt capital markets bankers say a few more could sneak through to primary markets before the August break.

Peruvian holding company Intercorp Peru is looking to tap bond investors for dollar and nuevo sol denominated funding as it seeks to refinance existing bonds and invest in its subsidiaries.

Petrobras will buy back $1.79bn of dollar bonds to go with the $639m-equivalent it spent repurchasing sterling and euro notes last week, but the Brazilian state-owned oil giant’s debt buy-back looks set to fall below the $3bn target on this occasion.

The consortium building the second line of the Lima and Callao Metro in Peru will meet bond investors this week as it looks to finance a mandatory redemption of a portion of the borrower’s existing notes caused by delays in the project.

Five Latin American companies and Caribbean-based Cable & Wireless (C&W) all sold dollar deals on Thursday, as borrowers jumped on improved expectations of a US rate cut and seemed to shrug off a sell-off in US Treasuries later in the day.

Argentina’s leading telecoms company became the latest borrower from the country to tap international investors on Thursday, but though bond investors showed plenty of enthusiasm for Telecom Argentina’s bond comeback, some were wary about oversupply from the country.

Argentina’s best borrowers continue to seek to take advantage of a recently opened funding window in international markets, with Telecom Argentina plotting to sell new debt to refinance old bonds.

While US market participants were on holiday last week, Brazil’s lower house passed legislation that is central to bond investors’ optimistic thesis on Latin America’s largest economy.

Brazilian state-owned oil company Petrobras is to continue its deleveraging process by using cash to buy back up to $3bn of existing bonds, giving first priority to euro and sterling paper.

Two Latin American companies announced bond roadshows this week, with a third launching a tender that will require a new issue, as the region’s issuers flock to the low rate environment and gradually rehabilitate disappointing issuance volumes.

Pampa Energía followed YPF into the international bond markets on Tuesday as Argentine issuers returned after a 14 month hiatus. Investors believe there is scope for certain corporates and even provinces from the country to take advantage of renewed market access.