Spain

All three public sector borrowers in the euro market on Tuesday received record order books, despite the spreads tightening by up to 5bp during pricing — which left little to no concessions for investors.

Demand for corporate bonds is strong but it is at its strongest for green and hybrid debt, especially for deals that combine both qualities. On Tuesday, Spanish utility Iberdrola found similar demand for green hybrids to that which Engie and EDP had benefited from in January, and market participants are starting to revise their issuance forecasts for the asset class.

Finland and Madrid hit screens on Monday to capitalise on the red hot appetite for euro sovereign supply in the 10 year part of the curve.

Issuer Rating: Baa3/BBB/BBB

Spanish telecoms company Telefónica on Monday launched the first green bond in euros from the telecoms sector. The firm, rated as one of Spain’s leading companies in the fight against climate change, published its Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) framework in November but had to wait two months to sell its first green bond.

Rating: Baa1/A-/A-

Wider euro spreads versus swaps and Bunds had already led to some superstrong trades in the currency this year, but Spain outdid them all this week with the largest ever book for a public sector euro benchmark. Every other euro deal also attracted heavy oversubscription with minimal concession, paving the way for expected supply next week from a “large German agency in the short end” and a “central European sovereign in 10 years”, according to one head of SSA syndicate.

Spain came to market on Tuesday, printing its traditional January 10 year euro benchmark and receiving an overwhelming level of demand.

Leveraged finance markets in Europe are looking up, and bankers expect they may even see some deals priced before long.

Spain mandated banks on Monday for its first syndicated bond of the year, as it looks to replicate the success of other eurozone sovereign syndications so far in 2019.

Maintaining confidence in the system relies on trust that leaders — those selected for their competence and character to set the course for the rest of us — are well informed, able to communicate with others at their level and take decisions that serve the interests of those they lead.

Zegona, the London-listed investment fund focused on telecoms, media and technology assets, has raised £100.5m ($130m) of fresh capital to fund a stake build in Euskaltel, the Spanish telecommunications company.