United Arab Emirates

Dubai, Ahli Bank and Sabic proved that the Gulf remains one of the most attractive of the emerging markets, with all three issuing dollar bonds this week.

The Emirate of Dubai surpassed expectations on its return to the bond market six years after its last issuance, with the sukuk tranche of its dual trade gaining notable traction. The borrower is the third Emirate to enter debt markets since the coronavirus crisis began.

Following a trailblazing issuance from Abu Dhabi last week, the Emirate of Dubai has mandated banks to arrange a dual tranche offering, including a sukuk — its first international DCM outing since 2014. Qatar’s Ahli Bank was also in the market on Tuesday, launching a benchmark dollar bond.

Rating: Aa2/AA/AA

Abu Dhabi brought the CEEMEA debt market out of holiday mode this week by stunning investors with a new 50 year bond — the longest ever seen in the Gulf. The deal not only cemented Abu Dhabi's standing as a top-tier credit on a level with developed market sovereigns, it also raised expectations for a flurry of longer-dated issuance from states across the Gulf region. Mariam Meskin reports.

The Aa2/AA/AA rated Emirate of Abu Dhabi raised $5bn on Tuesday, securing a negative new issue premium on a trade that included the longest ever tenor raised in the Gulf. The inclusion of a 50 year tranche, bankers say, is testament to the borrower's standing as an elite credit.

The Emirate of Abu Dhabi has appeared in the bond market for the third time this year, and for the third time is seeking a triple tranche deal. It re-opens the CEEMEA market after a brief summer drought.

The Emirate of Sharjah launched its debut Formosa bond on Tuesday. Experts say the format is gaining more interest from emerging market issuers looking to diversify, while investors beyond the traditional Taiwanese buyers are also taking an interest in the market.

The Emirate of Sharjah has mandated banks for a dollar Formosa bond. Some say the market is becoming an increasingly popular one for emerging market issuers to tap.

Bankers and investors say FIG issuance will return to the fore after a sovereign-dominated first half of the year. Three bank issuers this week showed that the market is open for non-sovereign issuers. As fears of a second wave of Covid-19 infections and November's US presidential elections threaten volatility, some say the usually quiet summer period may be inundated with EM issuance.

Dubai port logistics operator DP World, tested the boundaries of emerging market investor risk appetite this week as it priced at $1.5bn sukuk hybrid deal.

The United Arab Emirates’ state-owned oil company, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), has raised more than $10bn of investment from a consortium of firms in exchange for a stake in select pipelines. This is the second deal in 12 months in which Adnoc has raised international capital by leasing part of its pipeline network.