Ahren Lester

Sustainable bond market hits $5trn of issuance

Cumulative issuance of sustainable bonds has now crossed the $5 trillion mark, boosted by strong support from sovereign issuers.

Nordea launches two sustainable bond funds

Nordea Asset Management (Nordea AM) has launched two dedicated euro-denominated sustainable bond funds, a month after it closed its social bond fund.

Maynilad readies first Philippines 'blue bond'

Water and waste firm Maynilad Water Services is preparing to raise up to PHP15 billion ($261 million) from its debut 'blue bond' in late May, which will be the first instrument of its type from a Philippine issuer.

'Remarkable' Italian green bond demand as key tweaks hit mark

Enhancements to the planned use-of-proceeds and 'additionality' credentials of the new Italian green bond helped the sovereign to secure a record orderbook. Ahren Lester reports

'Positive' response to TVO's €600m 'nuclear' green bond

Finnish nuclear power firm Teollisuuden Voima Oyj (TVO) has raised €600 million ($650 million) from its debut green bond, with the transaction more than three-times oversubscribed.

Robeco: 'Greater clarity' on transition finance sought by Asian bond fund tilt

Robeco hopes that integrating a "transition bucket" into its Asian sustainable bond fund will help develop clearer definitions for transition finance in the market, as it also looks to launch further transition-focused funds.

Bond round-up: Aldar Properties, UK, Italy ... and more

Difference between sustainable bonds, sukuk are 'quite minimal'

The overall differences between sustainable sukuk and bond instruments are "quite minimal," according to experts - but recently published guidance remains a work-in-progress for building confidence in the market for issuers and investors.

Record orderbook as Italy raises €9bn from new green bond

Italy has returned to the green bond market with a new green bond, with the €9 billion ($9.7 billion) deal securing the biggest orderbook for a green bond from the sovereign to date.

Barclays sees improvements in SLB structuring

Although sustainability-linked bond issuance is in decline, the market is taking several steps in the right direction, Charlotte Edwards tells Ahren Lester