Sparebanken Vest Boligkreditt on Wednesday sold a Eu500m five year covered bond that was twice oversubscribed at the same time as achieving “ambitious” pricing, and an official at the Norwegian issuer said that recognition of the credit is increasing.

Nordea is expected to establish a distinct Finnish covered bond issuer as part of a strategy whereby its Danish, Finnish and Norwegian banking subsidiaries will become branches of the Swedish parent, a move that will be put to the group’s annual general meeting next month.

Nordic banks and insurers sold Eu4.5bn of senior debt this week in a resurgent market, led by Nordea but with rarer issues for Santander Consumer Bank Nordic and Sampo deemed highlights, while Stadshypotek sold a Eu1.25bn seven year covered bond.

Spreads on Danish covered bonds being sold in the latest refinancing auctions widened in early sales in line with the pressures afflicting the broader financial markets, according to market participants, while the announcement last week of a planned Nykredit IPO has also been in focus.

Swedbank attracted the most demand of any euro benchmark covered bond this year on Wednesday, pricing a EUR1.25bn five year issue at only a modest new issue premium (NIP), and SEB yesterday (Thursday) built upon the template to issue a EUR1.5bn five year at the same level.