Mexico

The two Fibras — or Mexican Reits (real estate investment trusts) — lining up to issue are perfect candidates for the volatile conditions in the Latin American market, said LatAm bond bankers.

América Móvil on Thursday issued its second exchangeable bond into stock of Koninklijke KPN in just four months, raising €750m after a €3bn issue in May. But this deal, unlike the earlier, was a mandatorily exchangeable structure.

Two Fibras — the Mexican version of the US real estate investment trusts (Reits) — are considering issuing dollar bonds in September, said bankers, finally providing some visible potential supply to LatAm’s bare pipeline.

Mexican real estate investment trust — or REIT — Fibra Terrafina could become the first borrower from Latin America to bring much-needed bond supply in September as it turns to international markets for the first time.

After “particularly ugly” second quarter results, according to one bank’s credit analyst, Moody’s confirmed on Monday that Mexican construction group Empresas ICA’s turnaround was short-lived by placing its B2 rating on negative outlook.

Even the strongest companies are not safe. When Mexican state oil company Pemex — alongside the Mexican sovereign — was awarded an A3 rating in 2014 the talk in the market was of the country’s energy reform helping it to bridge the gap between emerging and developed markets.

Mexican building materials company Cemex, has signed $3.79bn of loans including a €620m tranche after an upgrade to BB- from Fitch.

With emerging market currencies taking a battering across the globe, local currency bond issues continue to be a tough ask. However, innovations in the Mexican market are providing an encouraging grounding for future deals.

Opsimex, the telecoms tower spin-off of Mexican giant América Móvil, could issue in dollars as soon as Thursday if market conditions are good enough after completing a Ps15bn ($920m) local market bond sale on Wednesday.

In local and international bond markets the Mexican government has led the way in recent years, demonstrating the importance of a proactive and innovative debt management strategy. This has allowed the country to calmly navigate periods of volatility in emerging markets. With such volatility likely to persist until after the Federal Reserve finally raises interest rates, GlobalCapital sat down with the country’s debt chief and leading bankers and local investors in Mexico City to find out what Mexico does and needs to do to achieve such stability.

While some of the shine has come off its reform programme, Mexico occupies a key position in the emerging market universe, with its highly respected central bank, finance ministry team and policy agenda lauded by the international investor community. Philip Moore reports on the country’s progress since President Peňa Nieto came to power in 2012 and the long term impact of the far-reaching and ambitious reform programme.

Finance Minister Luis Videgaray’s decision to cut annual infrastructure spending by $1.15bn in his January 2015 budget was unfortunate considering how much needs to be spent on the country’s inadequate roads, railways, ports and power facilities. Philip Moore reports on whether the private sector can help fill the infrastructure finance gap.