Realkredit Danmark (RD) took the unprecedented step of cutting a three year covered bond auction from Dkr2.72bn to Dkr1.90bn (Eu255m) on Wednesday, citing dissatisfaction with orders for the sale, although the bulk of the week’s issuance was relatively smooth.
Danske Bank announced third quarter pre-tax profits of Dkr4.7bn (Eu630m) yesterday (Thursday), 9% below consensus expectations on the back of negative interest rates in Denmark and low activity, although the bank maintained its net profit guidance for the full year.
Danske life insurance subsidiary Danica launched its first new bond issue since 2006 on Monday, a Eu500m (Dkr3.73bn) 30 year non-call 10 subordinated transaction that sold out at a level reflecting the challenging market conditions prevailing in credit markets this week.
Moody’s upgraded six Nordic issuers yesterday (Wednesday) – Danske, DNB, Handelsbanken, Nykredit Realkredit, SEB and Swedbank – citing strong macro profiles, healthy and strengthened core financial ratios and benefits of the introduction of bail-in regimes across the region.
Danske Bank and SBAB took advantage of last week’s reopening of the euro FIG market to issue Eu750m senior unsecured fixed and floating rate benchmarks, respectively, this week, as the better tone was maintained in spite of ongoing concerns about Greece.
Danske Bank and DNB results announced this week were well received, although their figures and Swedish reporting this week confirmed the trend of the low interest rate environment affecting performance.
Rating agency Scope has published its first ratings of financial institutions in the Nordic region — covering Danske, DNB, Nordea and Swedbank — and noted strong prudential and credit metrics supported by stable funding — notably through covered bonds — but also overheating housing prices in Norway and Sweden.
Danske Bank sold a Skr5bn (Eu546m, Dkr4.08bn) April 2018 floating rate covered bond backed by Swedish and Norwegian residential and commercial mortgages yesterday (Wednesday), which was the Danish bank’s first covered bond issue in Swedish kronor in more than two years.
Second quarter results for Danske, reported today (Thursday), reveal “good progress all over”, with a raised outlook for 2014 reflecting higher management confidence, while Swedbank results underline a Swedish trend, said a Kepler Cheuvreux analyst.
Danske Bank priced its first euro covered bond in over a year on Tuesday, a Eu1bn seven year deal whose pricing illustrates the outperformance of Danish issues in the Nordic market, according to a lead syndicate banker.