UniCredit

Investors piled into the euro public sector bond market on Wednesday, allowing borrowers to achieve well subscribed order books and minimal new issue concessions for a range of maturities.

Faber-Castell, the German manufacturer of office supplies, was the second borrower to enter the Schuldschein market in 2020, offering five and seven year notes with a sustainability-linked ratchet on Wednesday.

BNP Paribas and UniCredit were each more than twice subscribed for new tier twos on Wednesday, as banks launched into sales of subordinated bonds more quickly than usual at the start of the new year.

Danske Mortgage Bank, Santander UK, Raiffeisenlandesbank Hypothekenpfandbrief and UniCredit Bank AG were marketing covered bonds on Wednesday, steering well clear of negative yields by tapping into healthy demand for long dated assets.

There was no let-up in the barrage of new bond supply from financial institutions in the middle of the week, as issuers put their bets on investors caring more about putting their cash to work than getting caught out by political risks.

Triple-B rated companies piled into the bond market on Tuesday, as RCI Banque, Fresenius and General Mills raised €2.1bn between them.

A strong reception for a five year euro benchmark by KfW on Tuesday was enough to lure in a hesitant flock of public sector borrowers to the euro market as the pipeline stacks up for Wednesday’s business.

The Republic of Slovenia became the first CEEMEA issuer to print a bond this decade, quickly launching a €1.5bn deal from a book of €11.75bn on Tuesday.

Italian football club Juventus has finished its €300m rights issue, which is intended to strengthen its balance sheet after an annual loss in 2018.

Telefónica Deutschland has signed a €750m environmental, social and governance-linked (ESG) loan, as sustainability financing continues to gain a foothold in a country that has until now been slow to take up the structure.

Big European investment banks pivoted towards the Americas during 2019 in an attempt to boost revenues and position themselves for the next downturn, writes David Rothnie. With large M&A across the industry still off the table, banks are finding scale through joint ventures and alliances.

Italian superyacht maker Sanlorenzo was buoyant in trading on Tuesday after the company made its debut on the Borsa Italiana. However, the stock was under water by the close on Thursday, on very thin trading volumes.