A Eu1bn 10 year Nordea Finland deal on Wednesday that was the first new benchmark eligible for CBPP3 since the programme began met with a “bonkers” response, achieving pricing 5bp inside initial price thoughts and kickstarting the primary market for Eurozone issuers.

Finland’s Ålandsbanken sold its largest single tranche covered bond on Tuesday, a Eu150m four year issue backed by a Finnish cover pool, and plans to return before year-end with a krona-denominated inaugural covered bond out of a Swedish cover pool.

Sampo Oyj, parent company of the Finnish financial conglomerate, sold a Eu500m seven year bond issue on Tuesday, its first euro benchmark since February 2012, and met with strong demand.

Ålandsbanken is aiming to increase the share of covered bonds in its funding profile, according to an official at the issuer, as it prepares to go on a roadshow linked to plans for a euro deal backed by its cover pool of Finnish residential mortgages.

Pohjola Bank launched its first fixed rate senior unsecured transaction in the Swiss franc market on Monday, a Sfr300m (Eu246m) seven year deal that ends a run of four deals in three weeks for the OP-Pohjola group, following a benchmark covered bond, a euro senior benchmark, and a Samurai.

Pohjola Bank launched the tightest five year senior unsecured euro benchmark of the year on Tuesday, a Eu750m issue that the OP-Pohjola head of group funding said was an opportunistic trade to take advantage of a receptive market.

Attractive market conditions ahead of an ECB meeting today (Thursday) proved tempting for issuers this week as six euro benchmarks over Tuesday and Wednesday made for the busiest two days in covered bonds this year, with Finland’s OP Mortgage Bank coming tightest of the lot.

The Finnish Ministry of Finance presented proposals for the implementation of the CRD IV and CRR framework to parliament last Thursday (17 April), with the proposals in line with expectations, according to an official from the Federation of Finnish Financial Services.

Aktia Bank issued a Eu500m no-grow five year covered bond on Monday, with an official at the issuer noting that the deal gained traction quickly, allaying some nervousness about how it would fare after softening in the wider market late last week.

Aktia Bank announced on Tuesday that it has mandated banks to organise a series of investor meetings for its euro benchmark covered bond programme, with an official at the issuer noting that the roadshow would be used to gauge market conditions and investor appetite.