NAB boosts a light week in domestic bond market
In the domestic wholesale market, issuance activity was light, as highlighted above. That said, National Australia Bank (rated AA-) was the big issuer of the week, selling A$1.0 billion of floating rate notes on Thursday.NAB launched the March 2016 line in the morning, with an indicative 105 basis points to 110 bps margin range. No volume was specified.In any event, it seems NAB opted to take what it could and priced the offer at the wide end of the range. This level is in line with that seen in the secondary market for ANZ's May 2016 bonds.United Energy Distribution (rated BBB) added A$65 million to its April 2017 line, to take outstandings to A$265 million. The line was opened in April and priced at 220 bps over swap. Pricing for last week's top-up was unchanged.However, the yield on the additional bonds dropped to 5.78 per cent per annum, from 6.495 per cent, on the United bonds issued in April.Inter-American Development Bank (rated AAA) has added A$175 million to its February 2021 line. The addition was priced at 97.25 bps over CGS, to yield 4.19 per cent per annum and take outstandings to A$525 million. The Sydney branch of ING Bank (rated A+) raised A$400 million for three years in two tranches. The bank sold A$250 million of fixed-rate notes, at 215 bps over swap, and A$150 million of floating rates notes, priced at 215 bps over bank bills.Caterpillar Financial Australia (rated A) completed the week with an upsized, A$300 million two-year bond issue. The bonds were priced at 100 bps over swap to yield 4.3425 per cent per annum.International Finance Corporation (rated AAA) raised NZ$300 million for five years, priced at 48 bps over New Zealand government bonds. This equates to a yield of 3.57 per cent per annum.