France

A worsening in credit conditions has squeezed some borrowers across EMEA out of syndicated loans and into the bilateral market. As syndicated loans bankers face another year of disappointing figures, market players are split over whether this trend will leave a more permanent dent in volumes. Mariam Meskin and Jon Hay report.

Rating: Aa2/—/AA

French dairy cooperative Sodiaal has entered the Schuldschein market, according to market sources, on the hunt for at least €100m.

Agence Française de Développement printed a €1bn tap on Tuesday, while Fondo de Amortisacion del Deficit Electrico (FADE) landed €1.2bn at five years.

Trading levels given are bid-side spreads versus mid-swaps and/or an underlying benchmark and bid-yields from the close of business on Monday, June 22. The source for secondary trading levels is ICE Data Services.

CNP Assurances and Helvetia Europe have added to issuance momentum in the insurance sector, giving investors the chance to put money into subordinated capital. The tier two bonds showed that ‘the market is back in shape’, said one deal arranger.

Veolia Environnement, a French water, waste and energy management company, raised Rmb1.5bn ($212m) from a three year private placement Panda bond on Monday, pricing the deal inside of expectations.

The Région Ile-de-France printed a dual tranche green and sustainability bond on Monday, raising a combined €800m with 10 and 20 year notes, as the green debt market returns to prominence

Hopes that the recovery from the Covid-19 recession can be a green one have been widespread throughout the crisis, and no sector is more important to that aspiration than renewable energy. The industry as a whole has been well buffered from the downturn, but there are points of pain, and the post-pandemic market will be different.

French aerospace and defence company Safran has closed a large US private placement, according to market sources, of €566m-equivalent in euros and dollars.

Caisse Française de Financement Local lost €700m of orders after pricing a €1bn 10 year covered bond flat to OATs on Tuesday. Axa Bank SFH offered a generous new issue concession a day later on a €500m 15 year that came well inside the French government curve.

DZ Hyp managed to raise €1bn of eight year Pfandbrief funding flat to its curve on Wednesday. The deal contrasted with one from Axa Banque SFH, which paid a much larger premium for a €500m 15 year, possibly due to far higher French supply this year and confusion with Axa Banque Europe SCF, which has already entered the market four times this year.