UBS

Bank of America Merrill Lynch has hired two senior bankers from UBS, including its former head of EMEA M&A Séverin Brizay.

Swiss speciality chemicals firm Sika turned to the equity-linked market this week to raise Sfr1.65bn. The trade was just what investors in the asset class have been crying out for in Europe, but it also served as a nifty corporate financing solution — funding the settlement of a four year long hostile takeover battle with French rival Saint-Gobain.

Swiss biopharmaceutical company Polyphor has bucked the trend of recent European IPOs by pricing its IPO at Sfr38, in the top half of the initial Sfr30 to Sfr40 range, and increasing the size of the deal.

KDB Life Insurance Co bagged a $200m subordinated trade on Monday in its first foray into the international bond market, getting away with the structure despite a volatile backdrop

Polyphor, the Swiss pharmaceutical company, is increasing the size of its IPO by Sfr15m due to “strong demand” from institutional investors.

China Minmetals Corp subsidiary Minmetals Land scared off many investors on Thursday by opting for a perpetual bond. But the unrated issuer still managed to put together a $200m trade, thanks to its parent company’s government ownership.

Huya, a live streaming platform backed by YY and Tencent, has raised $180m after pricing its US IPO at the top of guidance.

China Huadian Corp priced a $600m bond on Thursday that proved popular in both primary and secondary markets thanks to a stabilising market backdrop. Southwest Securities Co also found a receptive audience for a sub-one year bond, but was unable to tighten pricing.

Commodities trader Trafigura Group Pte. will meet Swiss investors next Tuesday to discuss an inaugural Swiss franc bond.

Goldman Sachs-backed ReNew Power is seeking the greenlight for its IPO, having filed a draft red herring prospectus with the Securities and Exchange Board of India on Tuesday.

Investors are hedging and betting on oil prices as markets remain unsure about whether or not US President Donald Trump will pull out of the Iran nuclear deal.

A handful of Chinese investment grade rated state-owned companies are gauging investor appetite for new deals amid a weak market backdrop.