World Bank

Public sector borrowers rushed into what is likely to be the last window for dollar issuance for a few weeks, removing some of the price tension they had enjoyed in what had been an undersupplied currency so far this year. That meant pricing correctly involved fine margins — although most deals made it through happily.

The World Bank cleared $4bn in the dollar market on Thursday but with spreads very tight, SSA bankers are warning that there is still little margin for error in the currency.

More supranational banks will use synthetic securitization and other risk transfer techniques, specialists believe, after the African Development Bank’s trailblazing $1bn deal, revealed this week, writes Jon Hay.

Dollar investors gave public sector issuers something to think about on Wednesday, as a pair of SRI bonds had very different receptions. One aggressively priced deal struggled to reach full subscription while another offering some concession grew by a half. World Bank is up next in the currency, though in conventional format, and bankers believe the trade will indicate the market’s direction.

This week's funding scorecard looks at the progress supranationals have made in their funding programmes.

Established SRI bond issuers are bringing deals to market over the coming weeks, including a new format from a seasoned borrower.

The World Bank is introducing a new SRI note that offers exposure to the environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance of signatories to the UN Global Compact.

The World Bank’s first attempt at a blockchain bond raised A$110m ($80m) of two year paper in a public deal — created, allocated and settled using blockchain technology.

There is little demand for another public sector issue referenced to Sonia, the preferred alternative to sterling Libor, in the wake of the European Investment Bank's successful deal in June, a senior SSA portfolio manager said this week.

The World Bank priced a landmark deal this week as financial markets ween themselves off Libor. But the execution of the $1bn August 2020 bond, the supranational's first with a coupon linked to the Secured Overnight Financing Rate, sparked a debate about the premium the borrower paid. Burhan Khadbai reports.

Rating: Aaa/AAA

World Bank is looking to issue more deals in euros in its fiscal year, ahead of large redemptions in the currency.