Comment EM and The Cover

Space might well be the new frontier in equity investing, with several deals catching the attention of capital markets professionals in the past couple of weeks. But as exciting as investing in space and space technology are, grouping vastly different businesses together under the catch-all term 'space economy' runs the risk of stoking fads or even an equity bubble.

Activity in the recruitment market for sustainable capital markets experts has ticked up this year, as banks looking to staff up in this area see a small but growing talent pool to tap. A recent hire by Santander in London is a good example.

With private equity-backed mergers and acquisitions hitting record levels in Europe, bankers have their tails up as they jostle for the most lucrative fee opportunities, writes David Rothnie.

HSBC’s quest to gain market share in investment banking took another turn this week with the latest revamp of its corporate finance structure in the US, which took place against a backdrop of relocations and reshuffles around the world, writes David Rothnie.

The European initial public offering market has been difficult for months, but new listings are still being brought to market with little regard for whether investors want to buy them. Instead of trying to ram deals through to satisfy a pre-arranged timeline, banks should be advising their clients to delay listings that don’t work in these conditions.

There were likely some well earned fist bumps and high fives going on in Brussels this week after the EU inaugurated its Next Generation funding programme with a triumphant €20bn outing. But things won’t always be so smooth for the issuer.

Credit Suisse’s investment bankers are looking to its top ranks for an injection of belief in the future of the business, following cuts to the bonus pool and defections from those with less patience, writes David Rothnie.

Although some bankers, keen on London life, are scrambling for ways to avoid having to move to the EU, further relocations due to take place this year will help build the critical mass needed for a vibrant pool of talent to emerge in hubs like Paris and Frankfurt.

Nomura has ambitious plans to boost its advisory and capital markets businesses as part of a full-throated commitment to international investment banking, writes David Rothnie.

Corporate broking relationships are undergoing their biggest shake-up in a decade as companies reassess banking relationships following the Covid-19 pandemic.

French banks and foreign rivals are slugging it out in France’s corporate finance boom, where proximity to the government is an advantage, writes David Rothnie.

Following the international outcry over the forced landing of a Ryanair passenger plane carrying a Belarusian dissident, some emerging markets investors are said to have had sudden doubts about the ESG characteristics of Belarusian sovereign bonds. What took them so long?