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INTERNATIONAL equity investors are enjoying a last splurge on technology stocks as various young companies seek international listings for their shares before year end. This week saw several groups benefit from keen investor appetite for this sector. Companies included Miracle of Switzerland, Aixtron of Germany, Israel's Orad Hi-Tech Systems, Italy's Finmatica and AISSoftware@re, and Open TV (registered in the British Virgin Islands).

Euroweek understands that Jean-Louis Duguit has been appointed global head of syndicated finance and corporate acquisitions at BNP Paribas. However, the bank has yet to appoint the Europe, Middle East and Africa regional head of syndicated finance. Julian Van Kan heads up BNP's syndicated loans team in London and Paris, while Domenico Lellis heads up Paribas's loans team, also based in London and Paris.

THE POLISH government and Dresdner Kleinwort Benson will this weekend execute the privatisation sale of stock in Polski Koncern Naftowy (PKN), the Polish integrated oil company. The deal has been carefully marketed amid growing signs of investor worry over central European markets. Bankers say that the quality of the company has overcome any doubts about the region.

n DePfa Rating: Aa3/AA (Moody's/Fitch IBCA)

GLOBAL co-ordinators Merrill Lynch, Banco Essi and Banco Mello Investimento have completed the successful flotation of PT Multi-Media, a subsidiary of the privatised national telecommunications operator, Portugal Telecom. Interest in the deal was particularly strong, with international and local investors viewing it as one of the year's last chances at a growth story from a hot sector. Even in pre-marketing the offer was well subscribed, and by the time the books closed the institutional sale was 50 times covered, with the retail tranche reporting an impressive 70 times oversubscription.

Amount: Eu150m (fungible with Eu100m issue launched 05/02/99) Öffentlicher Pfandbrief series 970 Maturity: February 9, 2001

Norway The $100m five year term loan for Sparebanken Rogaland, now known as Sparebank 1 SR-Bank, has closed and was signed on November 11, with Commerzbank as the arranger.

n WestLB Finance Netherlands BV Rating: Aa1/AAA

n European Investment Bank Rating: Aaa/AAA

n 3i Group Rating: Aa3/AA-

The Eu2bn facility for rare borrower Suez Lyonnais des Eaux signs today (Friday), after a notable success. It raised a heavy oversubscription and has been increased to Eu2.5bn, despite competition for lenders' attention from other French credits such as Vivendi. The borrower will use the proceeds partly to back its takeover of Nalco Chemicals.