Czech Republic

Česká zbrojovka Group (CZG), a Czech firearms company, has mandated banks to arrange a local currency bond, which investors say is a developing trend. The bond will contribute to CZG’s planned acquisition of US arms major Colt.

A double-digit spread over mid-swaps is still possible in covered bonds from Poland, Slovakia and Dutch conditional pass-though deals, suggesting scope for performance is strongest in these markets, said bankers on Wednesday.

Komerční banka (KB), a partially owned subsidiary of Société Générale, has mandated leads for the first fully distributed euro benchmark covered bond from the Czech Republic, paving the way for other major lenders to follow suit.

Emerging market corporate bond supply grew on Thursday, with a strong showing from the Central and Eastern European region added to by Czech Gas Networks.

Assicurazioni Generali and Uniqa Insurance are each looking at selling tier two capital from their green bond frameworks, using a quieter period in the new issue markets to explore more complicated and multi-faceted transactions.

The coming months are crucial in determining how ambitious the European Union will be in decarbonising its economy to fight climate change over the next decade.

Czech lottery firm Sazka ventured into the euro high yield market again this week, issuing €300m of seven-year senior unsecured notes. The deal comes after Sazka made a successful debut in mid-November.

New sources of capital and new financing models are appearing for emerging markets borrowers as investors broaden the search for yield. As Mariam Meskin reports, traditional EM bank lenders and bond buyers now find themselves battling direct lenders and private capital markets

A number of untested European companies have made their entrance to the international high yield bond market in the past two weeks as central banks fuel conditions that pamper repeat and new issuers alike, while driving investors into ever riskier assets in a hunt for yield. Karoliina Liimatainen reports.

The International Finance Corporation returned to the Czech koruna bond market after a 21 year absence this week to place the largest SSA deal in the currency since 2015.

Czech gaming company Sazka, with lottery operations around Europe, debuted in the euro market on Tuesday with €300m of senior unsecured notes, priced at 4.125%.

Central European telecommunications provider PPF Arena 1 has come to market for its second bond issue, after debuting earlier this year.