Financial markets took on a much more optimistic tone last week. Equity markets rose and in debt markets credit spreads contracted.After being hammered the week before, the share prices of the four major banks recovered and five-year credit default swap spreads contracted by around 15 basis points, to retrace the widening of the previous week. However, despite the optimism infecting market participants, activity in the domestic corporate bond market was subdued.The Sydney branch of Credit Suisse (rated A) returned to the market to raise a total of A$500 million, for five years. The notes were sold in two tranches: $175 million fixed and $325 million floating. The credit spread was set at 195 bps over the bank bill swap rate.Credit Suisse has a total of $4.5 billion of bonds outstanding in the domestic market.Province of Quebec (rated A+) added $30 million to its May 2026 line. The increase takes the size of the line to $105 million.Eurofima (rated AA+) added $55 million to its December 2025 line. The increase, priced at 66.75 bps over commonwealth government securities, takes the size of the line to $450 million.And KfW (rated AAA) saw out the week with the opening of a new $200 million September 2026 line on Friday. The bonds were priced at CGS plus 66 bps, to yield 3.2 per cent.In New Zealand, ASB Bank (rated AA-) sold NZ$475 million of three year floating-rate notes, priced at 100 bps over bank bills.Dual-listed energy distribution company AusNet Services (rated A-), formerly known as SP AusNet Services, chose the Singapore Stock Exchange to list a 70.5-year subordinated bond issue. The notes are callable after 5.5 years and will attract 50 per cent equity credit from credit rating agencies.The structure is similar to that used by Santos in its subordinated euro note issue, and by Crown Resorts, Origin Energy and APA Group, with subordinated notes issued on the Australian Securities Exchange.AusNet raised SGD200 million at a yield of 5.5 per cent.Leaving aside the cost of swapping the proceeds back into Australian dollars, AusNet appears to have achieved enviable pricing. If the notes had been listed on the ASX and sold to retail investors, 5.5 per cent is unlikely to even cover the credit margin that would have been required to get the issue away.AusNet has become the first Australian non-financial company to issue in any market in 2016.The only other international issuance of note, was the sale of A$64.3 million of five-year bonds by Westpac (rated AA-) in the Uridashi market. The bonds will yield 2.8 per cent.