UK

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development returned to the sterling market on Tuesday to sell the first benchmark of its 2019 funding programme.

The UK Treasury has published a draft statutory instrument that will allow UK authorities to properly oversee UK over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives markets in “any scenario” after the UK leaves the European Union.

Avast, the London-listed Czech cybersecurity company, is still trading above the issue price of a block trade of Monday night, marking a good result for the seller and the banks on the deal in a tough week for world benchmark indices.

Mizuho has hired an equity-linked banker from Deutsche Bank for its equity capital markets business in London.

Blue Ocean Maritime Income, an investment trust seeking to list in London, has decided to postpone an IPO because of investors' newfound risk aversion, in particular towards the shipping industry.

Kazatomprom, the Kazakh producer of natural uranium, is to proceed with an IPO this year, likely surprising a few who did not expect to see an intention to float (ITF) a mere week after the company filed initial paperwork with the London Stock Exchange.

AVI Japan Opportunity Fund, a new activist investment fund focused on undervalued cash-rich and over-capitalised Japanese equities, is set to begin trading on the London Stock Exchange on Tuesday, after the company priced its IPO.

BioPharma Credit, the UK closed end investment fund that provides debt capital to the life sciences industry, is back in the market with a $150m capital increase to finance its pipeline of investment commitments.

London Stock Exchange Group on Friday announced that it would increase its stake in London-based clearing house company LCH Group by up to 15.1%, bringing its holdings to over 80%.

Shares in Funding Circle, the UK peer-to-peer lending platform, rose more than 5% on Friday morning after the company posted its first quarterly earnings since its £300m IPO on the London Stock Exchange at the start of October.

Green finance experts have hailed the Bank of England’s announcement this week that it intends to tighten supervision of financial firms’ climate risks as an important step forward in greening the financial system. But doubts remain as to whether the Bank will push firms far enough, fast enough.

Conor Hennebry has quit Deutsche Bank to head Santander’s European debt capital markets business.