Europe

S&P Expects Europe Spec-Grade Defaults to Rise

Europe’s speculative-grade corporate default rate is expected to rise slightly by next year amid lingering credit instability, slow economic growth and a growing concentration of companies in the lowest levels of junk-grade ratings.

Heathrow Funding Issues £400M in New Notes

Heathrow Funding, a corporate securitization vehicle that issues bonds raising proceeds for London’s Heathrow Airport and related rail link services, is issuing £400 million (US$520 million) in new notes for the airport to repay upcoming debt maturities.

Hawksmoor UK Nonconforming RMBS Priced

Hawksmoor Mortgages 2016-1 PLC is a collection of U.K. mortgage loans. More than 80% were originated by GE Money’s home lending and mortgage units, with about one-third consisting of aged, pre-crisis loans issued in 2007.

BPCE Pursuing 2nd French RMBS Since Crisis

Groupe Banque Populaire, Caisse D’Epargne (BPCE) is pursuing a second securitization from a revolving pool of up to €50 billion in residential mortgage loans held in its two-year-old asset-backed fund.

Brexit Contagion Worries Stoke Credit Portfolio Manager Fears

Portfolio managers are expecting deteriorating credit conditions in spreads and defaults in North America and Europe this summer, as the Brexit contagion spreads around the globe. In particular, 68% of managers worldwide expect to see growing defaults in the European investment-grade space this summer.

BBVA Securitizes 8th Auto Loan Euro ABS

Fitch Ratings and Moody’s Investors Service have assigned preliminary ratings to a €700 million, 18-month revolving securitization of unsecured consumer auto loans issued and serviced by Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A.

Brexit May Render UK Firms Inegible for CLOs

An eventual "Brexit" from the European Union could exclude CLO managers and investors from the CLO market under existing and proposed EU rules that restrict risk-retention and market activity to EU regulated firms.

Alba Readies €1.03B of Italian Lease ABS

A mix of esoteric lease receivables from real estate, equipment and auto transport assets is being securitized through a €1.03 billion notes offering from Alba Leasing, an Italian corporate credit finance firm.

Survey: EU Managers Expect to Add to ABS Holdings

A spring survey of European asset-backed portfolio managers shows a vast majority expects to increase their securitization holdings in 2016. But many see a “muted level” of issuance in which to add securities, according to the DBRS polling.