Brazil

Brazilian airline Gol reopened its convertible bonds for a further $80m last week, taking advantage of a strong performance of its existing bonds and stock to achieve pricing that the CFO described as “fantastic” and leave the company in a position to continue its liability management.

Latin American borrowers continue to make up for lost time amid encouraging issuance conditions as debt capital markets bankers say a few more could sneak through to primary markets before the August break.

Petrobras will buy back $1.79bn of dollar bonds to go with the $639m-equivalent it spent repurchasing sterling and euro notes last week, but the Brazilian state-owned oil giant’s debt buy-back looks set to fall below the $3bn target on this occasion.

Five Latin American companies and Caribbean-based Cable & Wireless (C&W) all sold dollar deals on Thursday, as borrowers jumped on improved expectations of a US rate cut and seemed to shrug off a sell-off in US Treasuries later in the day.

While US market participants were on holiday last week, Brazil’s lower house passed legislation that is central to bond investors’ optimistic thesis on Latin America’s largest economy.

Brazilian state-owned oil company Petrobras is to continue its deleveraging process by using cash to buy back up to $3bn of existing bonds, giving first priority to euro and sterling paper.

Two Latin American companies announced bond roadshows this week, with a third launching a tender that will require a new issue, as the region’s issuers flock to the low rate environment and gradually rehabilitate disappointing issuance volumes.

Three Latin American issuers took advantage of decreasing rates in dollar markets to raise funding this week, and debt capital markets bankers say primary activity should continue to pick up.

Cielo, the largest merchant acquiring and payment processing company in Brazil, on Friday wrapped up a consent solicitation and bond buy-back for its global 2022s that will effectively split the note in two.

Brazilian meatpacker Marfrig will repurchase more than half of its $1bn 2023s as well as another slither of its highest coupon bond after wrapping up a tender offer, the company said on Tuesday.

Cielo, the largest merchant acquiring and payment processing company in Brazil, is looking to raise a new domestic bond to finance the buy-back of a portion of its only international bond.

Holding company Ultrapar, one of the five largest conglomerates in Brazil, will meet bond investors after the long weekend in the US as it looks to test Lat Am high yield appetite.