European secondary market softens as equities sink after Fed comments
Indications from the U.S. Federal Reserve that it expects to scale back its asset purchases later this year sent U.S. markets tumbling overnight, with the S&P 500 closing 1.39% lower, and U.S. treasury yields widening. Asian equities also closed in the red, not helped by indications that Chinese manufacturing has contracted to the lowest level in nine months. The FTSE 100 opened 1.95% lower today, while at press time the iTraxx Crossover is 34 bps wider, at 477.
High-yield bonds are down 1-1.5 points across the board today, and market players believe it will take a few sessions before the market finds some normalcy. A repricing is again taking place, starting with lower-quality credits and tight-yielding bonds that are sensitive to rates. Ardagh Glass 5% notes due 2022 were marked at a mid-price of 98.25 at the beginning of this week, and were a point lower yesterday. These bonds are now wrapped around 95.5, according to sources. William Hill 4.25% notes due 2020 are half a point lower today, at either side of 97.75. Owens-Illinois 4.875% notes due 2021 – which were wrapped around 105 at the end of May – are now hovering around par, according to sources.
Bellwether bonds are also lower – Ineos 6.5% notes due 2018 are wrapped around 96, versus 98 yesterday, while Wind 7.375% notes due 2018 are a point lower on the week, at 101, sources said.
Low-quality credits continue to sink. Norske Skog 7% notes due 2017 are wrapped around 59.5, from a mid-price of 61 yesterday. Meanwhile, New World Resources 7.875% notes due 2021 have moved a touch lower, from the mid-40s to around 44.5. Yesterday, these bonds dropped nearly 10 points on the back of a report from Bank of America Merrill Lynch that cut 2014 forecasts for coking coal prices, and reports that sector-peer steelmaker Evraz could cease production at its steel mill facilities due to low demand.
Leveraged loans have not been shielded from the latest bout of weakness, sources said, and have shed roughly a point across the board. Boots‘ euro TLB is down half a point at 98.75, and Ineos’ euro term loans are roughly a point lower at a mid-price of 99.
Merlin’s new loan tranches are holding firm, with the borrower’s euro TLB at 100.75, and its sterling TLB wrapped around 100.5. Intertrust is also faring well considering the market-wide weakness, with the company’s euro TLB quoted variously between 99.75 and 100.25, according to sources.