United States

Anheuser-Busch InBev timed a $10bn multi-trancher to perfection this week as it jumped into the market to extend maturities ahead of the Federal Reserve’s rate interest rate hike.

The Financial Services Committee of the US House of Representatives on Wednesday waved through a bill that could allow banks to remove initial margin for centrally cleared derivatives from their leverage exposure, and thus hold less capital.

The auto finance arm of General Motors opted for short maturities to try to ensure the success of its first bond sale of 2018, but the €1bn dual-tranche deal only received orders of €1.7bn and the lead managers were only able to tighten one of the tranches from initial price thoughts.

DCM bankers in Asia are gearing up for a hectic April as investors put the US interest rate hike behind them. But how will borrowers, particularly those that are lower rated, navigate the many fundraising challenges ahead? Addison Gong finds out.

China’s promotion of a home-grown depository receipt market is already gaining traction, even before the rules around it are published, with the big four technology giants showing their interest in returning home. But while China Depository Receipts (CDRs) will put pressure on the Hong Kong exchange, it will be some time before they pose a serious threat, writes Jonathan Breen.

The order book for OneSmart International Education Group’s $212m IPO on the New York Stock Exchange is well covered across the price range, said a banker at one of the leads.

Equity markets took a hit this week in the wake of revelations that big data political consultancy Cambridge Analytica, managed to obtain data from millions of Facebook profiles, sparking concerns about possible government-led crackdowns on data and tech companies around the world.

US health insurer Cigna has agreed a $26.7bn bridge loan from two banks as part of its deal to buy Express Scripts, in a transaction lenders say highlights how deep liquidity is in the market.

Funding for leveraged buyouts in the European primary high yield market gained further share of overall issuance this week, as specialty car parts maker LKQ of Chicago sold a €1bn bond for its acquisition of German peer Stahlgruber.

Investment grade borrowers have taken their feet off the early refinancing pedal, as they bet that benign loan market conditions will continue despite the upheaval expected in the bond markets in the coming months.

The auto finance arm of General Motors opted for shorter maturities to try to ensure the success of its first bond sale of 2018 on Monday. But the €1bn dual-tranche deal only received orders of €1.7bn and the lead managers were only able to tighten one of the tranches from initial price thoughts.

The governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, has warned his international colleagues that while “crypto-assets do not pose risks to financial stability” now, this could change should the asset class become more “interconnected” with the regulated financial system.