Sweden

Just south of the city of Växjö in southern Sweden is a new residential neighbourhood called Solallén. It’s a cluster of 21 black and yellow townhouses that, aesthetically pleasing as they are with their high ceilings and bike parking and gardens, would be unremarkable were it not for the fact that they constitute the first net zero energy residential neighbourhood in Sweden.

The increasing attractiveness of euros over dollars has led one public sector borrower to mandate for its first ever benchmark in the currency — and more debut issuers could follow.

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.”

Gothenburg sits on Sweden’s southwest coast, served by the Gotä älv river which sweeps into it from the north. By the time that river system gets to Gothenburg it has traversed 750 kilometres, through dams, canal locks, a hydropower station and a host of industrial and shipping uses. And it’s from this river, upstream of the city, that Gothenburg gets its drinking water.

A supranational has mandated for a dual tranche dollar benchmark, amid signs that issuers are willing to pay up to get size. But Sweden took a different route, pricing a $1bn deal arguably through its curve.

Cities and municipalities are some of the most suitable issuers for the green or socially responsible bond market, but the cost and effort could be too much to for some. Jonathan Breen reports.

A European sovereign will sell a short dated dollar benchmark on Tuesday, but a weak market backdrop and tight swap spreads are likely to hold other issuers back from bringing deals in the currency.

SCBC returned to the covered bond market on Monday, following Swedbank, which priced a larger deal at a tighter spread in the same tenor last week. The difference in fortunes is simply a function of the market conditions, which were not good last week, but have deteriorated further. Separately, DVB bank is set to price a €250m shipping loan Pfandbrief.

Swedbank and SR Boligkreditt defied tricky market conditions this week to respectively raise €1.25bn and €500m in five year covered bonds.

Swedbank defied a tricky market on Tuesday to raise €1.25bn in five year covered bonds, in a deal described by a rival banker as “outstanding”.

The Swedish bank has mandated leads for a five year benchmark that is expected to be launched on Tuesday. This will be its second deal in euros this year and its fourth overall.

Swedish group Akelius Residential Property on Wednesday sold €300m of unsecured notes with speculative grade ratings, entirely to investment grade investors.