UK

Dollar high yield buyers showed up in force for the largest priming debt opportunity provided so far by the coronavirus crisis, Carnival Corporation’s $4bn rescue offering, priced alongside a convertible and an equity capital raising on Wednesday. The package provides funds for the stricken cruise operator until November, but even if the company can’t start sailing again this year or next, investors in the new issue are first in line for the firm’s $38bn of assets.

Dyson has become the first UK company to sell private placements in the past month, as the coronavirus complicates primary issuance and the market instead focuses on amendments to existing deals. Sources said the UK manufacturer succeeded because it was realistic over the price it would have to pay.

Hays, the UK recruitment and human resource services company, is in the market with a £200m equity placing to give it enough capital to withstand a halt to much of its business operations because of the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand will prevent its financial institutions from redeeming subordinated bonds during the coronavirus pandemic, putting itself in contrast with other parts of the world, where banks remain free to manage their debt capital as they see fit.

Auto Trader, the UK online vehicle marketplace, has become the latest London-listed corporate to raise equity in response to the challenges of the Covid-19 crisis.

The Pre-Emption Group, an assembly of listed companiesm investors and intermediaries that monitors pre-emption rights in the UK, has changed its guidelines to say that the impacts of the Covid-19 coronavirus means investors should support companies selling new shares worth up to 20% of their market capitalisation without giving existing shareholders first refusal.

Lloyds Bank is looking to buy back one of its more costly perpetual tier one capital instruments, after its valuation collapsed in March. The move took some market participants by surprise, since it would have been approved by UK authorities, which are at the same time insisting that the country's banks conserve their capital levels during the coronavirus crisis.

The UK Debt Management Office announced plans this week to raise the biggest volume of Gilts in a single calendar month as it prepares for a significant increase to its financing programme from government’s measures to support the economy through the coronavirus outbreak.

The Bank of England threatened to use its ‘supervisory powers’ on UK banks if they did not agree to suspend dividend distributions this year and stop paying cash bonuses to staff. The instructions do not apply to the equity-like CCDS instruments issued by building societies.

Carnival Cruises, the world’s largest leisure travel company, is rolling the dice on a coronavirus rescue package, launching a $1.25bn underwritten rights issue, $1.75bn convertible bond, and a $3bn dual currency high yield bond.

The loans market has been one part of the capital markets that has perhaps unsurprisingly taken to working from home easier than most. Some loans bankers even see a world after the pandemic where one or two days a week working out of the office becomes the norm.

Hipgnosis Songs Fund, the London-listed investment fund focused on song royalties, has acquired the music catalogue of Richie Sambora, the lead guitarist of Bon Jovi and co-writer of the US band’s hits, for an undisclosed price. It is an example of the acquisitions the fund continues to make as it mulls a fresh equity capital raise.