DNB is closing the first Samurai issue for a European financial institution of 2014 tomorrow (Friday), a ¥81.6bn (Eu573m, Nkr4.78bn) dual tranche five year senior unsecured deal that achieved far broader distribution than the Norwegian bank’s last Samurai.

Norwegian banks have strengthened their credit underwriting standards, according to a survey by the Norwegian Financial Supervisory Authority (Finanstilsynet), Moody’s noted yesterday (Wednesday), saying this is leading to an overall improvement in the credit quality of covered bond collateral.

Norway’s KLP Banken is setting up a mortgage covered bond issuer to lower its funding costs and generate financing to purchase retail mortgages booked with the KLP insurance company.

Moody’s considers a framework for systemically important financial institutions (SIFIs) proposed by Norway’s Financial Supervisory Authority last week to be credit positive for eight financial institutions designated SIFIs.

The new Norwegian government followed up on a pre-election pledge to ease mortgage standards by asking the country’s FSA to examine lending practices on Tuesday of last week (29 October), and Moody’s said on Monday that any loosening would be credit negative for Norwegian banks and covered bonds.

DNB Boligkreditt priced its second tightest five year covered bond on Tuesday, a Eu1.5bn deal that came at 7bp over and gave the issuer a Eu500m headstart on its wholesale funding needs for next year.

New measures announced by the Norwegian Ministry of Finance for how banks calculate capital requirements for mortgage loans under the IRB approach are credit positive because they ensure retention of capital, Moody’s said on Monday.

Skandiabanken issued its first covered bonds backed by a cover pool of Norwegian residential mortgages on 26 September, pricing three and five year floating rate notes to raise Nkr3bn (Eu368m, Skr3.19bn).

Moody’s upgraded commercial mortgage backed covered bonds issued by SpareBank 1 Næringskreditt from Aa3 to Aa2 yesterday (Wednesday), citing a strengthening of liquidity and capital support for the issuer.

A Lower Tier 2 transaction from DNB and a US dollar senior unsecured deal from Svenska Handelsbanken hit the market today (Thursday), with sentiment buoyed by a surprise decision against tapering by the Fed yesterday. Meanwhile, Aktia will roadshow for a senior transaction in euros.