Spain

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria is today (Wednesday) in the covered bond market with the week’s ninth deal, after Deutsche Postbank earlier today priced a Eu1bn 10 year Pfandbrief that took supply of Eu500m-plus issues to Eu5.2bn over the first three days of the week. Meanwhile, Portugal’s Banco Santander Totta has announced plans to tap the market.

Banco Popular Español, OTP Mortgage Bank, Swedish Covered Bond Corp, and Westdeutsche Immobilienbank are all in the market today (Tuesday) with covered bonds. Syndicate officials said that the market was receptive, although only one issue has had pricing at the tight end of guidance confirmed.

La Caixa and Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria this (Monday) morning accessed the covered bond market after Santander reopened the cédulas sector last Thursday, with market participants cautiously constructive about the prospects for yet more Spanish issuance. Meanwhile, Swedish Covered Bond Corp has announced plans to tap the market.

Three Spanish banks are said to be looking to raise funding in the covered bond market after Santander reopened the cédulas sector yesterday (Thursday).

Fitch yesterday (Tuesday) placed on rating watch negative 48 of the 54 multi-cédulas it put under analysis in December and affirmed the remaining six at AAA. In the absence of remedial action, the issues placed on rating watch negative are in the majority of cases likely to be cut to between AA+ and AA-, said the rating agency.

Banco Santander closed the books on a Eu1bn five year cédulas hipotecarias issue yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon after five-and-a-half hours of bookbuilding, with orders only just matching the deal size.

Banco Santander opened books on a five year cédulas hipotecarias with guidance of the 50bp over mid-swaps area this (Tuesday) morning, surprising market participants because a 10 year issue had initially been expected. Meanwhile, Dexia Municipal Agency is said to be preparing a 12 year benchmark.

The first new mandate of the week is expected to be announced soon and its reception could give an indication as to whether or not the record pace of the past fortnight can be sustained, or whether the difficulties faced by some issuers last week will resurface.

Banco de Sabadell on Monday returned to the benchmark covered bond market after an absence of more than a year-and-a-half. The issuer told The Cover that it announced its deal after watching the market get off to a strong start, and is confident that, after a spell of market indigestion, its issue will perform in the long run.

Three issuers announced mandates this (Monday) morning, ensuring that the pipeline remains bulging even after three issuers closed books on new issues, as the pace of supply showed no sign of relenting in the second week of the new year.

Next week promises to be as busy as this week’s record opening to a year, with two more issuers having officially announced plans for benchmarks in the past 24 hours on top of three outstanding mandates. Supply of Eu5.5bn yesterday (Thursday) took the week’s total to Eu10.25bn from seven deals, just short of the eight totalling Eu11bn in the busiest ever week for the covered bond market at the end of September.