Standard Chartered

In an extremely challenging year, Standard Chartered showed its strength and leadership in continuing to find liquidity for its clients in the African loans market, lead arranging financings for some 18 borrowers, almost three times as many as the bank’s nearest competitor.

Saudi Arabia sold its second euro denominated bond on Wednesday, achieving a negative yield — the first bond of its kind from a Middle East issuer. However, some in the market were underwhelmed with the transaction, which they say is evident in the deal statistics.

The Export-Import Bank of Korea returned to the offshore renminbi bond market after nearly three years this week. It took advantage of a recent rally in the CNH swap rate to raise Rmb1.5bn ($232.4m). Addison Gong reports.

Indian telecommunication company Bharti Airtel found strong support from global investors for its bond this week, allowing it to raise more money than expected and price the $1.25bn deal at a tight level.

Private equity firm Blackstone has launched into syndication a $360m loan that will support its leveraged buyout of India’s Piramal Glass.

Philippines’ SMC Global Power Holdings, the power unit of conglomerate San Miguel Corp, has returned to the loan market for $200m.

Handelsbanken is set to return to the Australian dollar market for the first time in nearly two years this week, as Aussie dollar senior paper rallies thanks to the long term absence of funding from the market's major domestic banks.

Saudi Arabia was set to sell its second ever bond in euros on Wednesday. The bond, which will allow the kingdom to further diversify its investor base, is expected to tighten considerably from initial price thoughts.

The Export-Import Bank of Korea has returned to the offshore renminbi (CNH) bond market after nearly three years, to take advantage of a recent rally in the CNH swap rate and investor demand for high quality Korean deals.

Agricultural Bank of China (ABC) took a three-pronged approach to its deal on Tuesday, raising nearly $1bn across two dollar bonds and one Hong Kong dollar tranche. The bank was able to squeeze the spread on its notes to new lows, riding on the strong secondary market performance of deals from the big Chinese banks.

BNP Paribas and UBS opened the offshore Australian dollar FIG market for 2021 this week, with a pair of new senior deals.

Saudi Arabia mandated banks on Tuesday to arrange a bond in euros, just a month after it last entered the market to raise dollars. The "opportunistic" bond will enable the kingdom to achieve tight pricing and diversification, market participants said.