Swiss Francs

Despite the coronavirus crisis and uncertainty about the November US election, the Swiss franc market is feeling optimistic for the second half of the year, expecting a strong run of issuance until late autumn.

The Swiss franc market is having a busy year, with a strong showing from corporate and SSA issuers helping the market to its highest year to date volume since 2015, according to Dealogic.

Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (CDC) is planning to return to the Swiss franc bond market in the latter half of 2020 after an 18-month absence to refinance an upcoming redemption. Elsewhere, the Canton of Geneva returned to the market for the third time this month as it marches towards a record year on the capital markets.

Marex, a commodity and derivatives broker, has raised tier two capital in the Swiss franc market through a structured note, which it says is the first to combine a tier two host with an embedded structured product — in this case, exposure to the SMI, the Swiss equity market index.

Pharmaceutical manufacturer Ferring launched its first public bond on Thursday. The sector's prominent role during the coronavirus pandemic helped to drive up demand.

Pharmaceutical company Ferring is preparing to launch its first public bond, having mandated banks on Monday to lead investor calls ahead of a potential Swiss franc trade.

Hyundai pulled into the Swiss franc bond market this week with a three-year green deal that was priced with a substantial new issue premium (NIP). Elsewhere, nuclear energy provider AKEB sold one of the highest yielding bonds of recent weeks.

A wide gamut of deals across asset classes filtered through the Swiss franc market this week. Gyrations in swaps allowed Crédit Agricole to come flat on euros on Thursday, while also giving investors a great deal on a long end Lausanne trade.

A trio of double-A rated SSA names from South Korea, Central America and France tapped the Swiss franc market this week, raising a combined Sfr550m ($575.8m) and paving the way for other similar issuers to follow.

A shift in the Swiss franc-dollar basis swap has been enough to deter , foreign issuers from the Swiss bond market this week, leaving it to a Swiss biomedical market regular and a Liechtenstein-based power tool manufacturer.

A supranational and a Nordic bank paid rare visits to the Swiss franc market this week. The North American Development Bank (NADB) printed its first deal in two years — its second green bond — while Nordea returned after a five year absence.

Swiss franc bond spreads have failed to tighten as much as they have in the euro market, and the lack of price action meant few issuers ventured out this week. A trio of domestic deals comprised the only new supply.