Commerzbank

It was a busy first quarter at Commerzbank’s corporate clients division, as companies rushed to secure liquidity and access Germany’s support programmes. But that division and the group as a whole made a loss in the quarter, results released on Wednesday showed, as cost of risk rose and valuations of derivative positions fell.

Europe’s high grade corporate bond market offered investors an assortment of trades this week, with some defensive issuers managing to print inside fair value, while some of the more esoteric picks had to pay up.

High grade corporate bond investors showed few signs of fatigue on Wednesday, as deals commanded comfortable oversubscription, despite the flurry of issues in recent days.

High grade corporates filled the primary bond market again on Wednesday, with issuance levels this week looking likely to hit almost €20bn on the back of record weekly European Central Bank bond buying.

Europe’s high grade corporate bond market pumped out deals on Tuesday, with some defensive issuers managing to print inside fair value while some of the day’s more esoteric picks had to pay up even for short maturity debt.

The lure of prestigious, fee-paying Bund syndications has driven banks to up their bids in Germany’s auctions, driving up the bid to cover ratio on its auctions and bringing down the sovereign’s cost of funds.

French car maker Peugeot, rated on the lowest rung of investment grade, amassed €2.3bn of demand for a bond issue on Thursday, enabling it to raise €1bn, after crossover credit Nokia’s success selling debt earlier in the week made it clear that there is demand for issuers with trickier stories.

Issuers are starting to feel more comfortable with the new normal of wider spreads as a flurry of deals dusted the Swiss franc market, including a rare operating-company level visit from UBS.

Issuance in the financial institutions bond market had a preferred senior flavour this week, with issuers finding this the most cost-effective funding compared with other asset classes. In addition, some of them can use it to fulfil regulatory requirements.

Rating: Aaa/AAA/AAA

Germany smashed its return to the syndicated bond market on Wednesday with its biggest ever order book and deal in the format, which was priced flat to fair value at the final spread, according to the leads.

Germany has picked the banks that will run its first syndicated transaction since 2015 and its first 15 year bond. The sovereign will likely make its market return on Wednesday. The trade forms part of Germany's updated strategy for its colossal funding programme financing the response to the Covid-19 pandemic.