THE EUROPEAN high yield market welcomed its first insurance name this week with the launch of the $550m deal for Willis Corroon, the world's third largest insurance broker. Lead managed by Chase Manhattan, the 10 year issue of senior subordinated notes was priced at the wider end of price talk with a 9% coupon and at a spread of 432bp over the 10 year Treasury. Pent-up demand for new issue paper among European investors resulted in an exceptionally large European component of demand for the dollar transaction.
January 29, 1999