Cravath represented the underwriters, led by BofA Merrill Lynch, J.P. Morgan Securities, Wells Fargo Securities and Credit Agricole CIB, in connection with the US$300 million registered senior debt offering of Flowserve Corporation, a world-leading manufacturer and aftermarket service provider of comprehensive flow control systems. The transaction closed on November 1, 2013.

The Cravath team included partner Andrew J. Pitts and associate Raffael M. Fiumara. Renee A. Brutus also worked on this matter.

Asia Pacific, November 5, 2013 – Baker & McKenzie has acted for Taiwan-based CTBC Financial Holding Company Ltd. ("CTBC FHC") on its acquisition of a 98.16% stake in Japan-based Tokyo Star Bank for JPY 52 billion of cash considerations.

Cravath represented the initial purchasers, led by J.P. Morgan Securities, in connection with the US$200 million 144A/Reg. S high-yield senior secured debt offering of U.S. Concrete, Inc., a major producer of ready-mixed concrete in select geographic markets in the United States. The transaction closed on November 22, 2013.

The Cravath team included partner William V. Fogg, senior attorney Christopher J. Kelly and associates Katerina M. Novak and Andrew B. Langworthy. Gabriella Kleeman also worked on this matter.

Corporate partner Richard Spedding is advising Peel Hunt LLP on the £130m firm placing and placing & open offer by Telecom Plus PLC announced today. The proceeds will be used to part fund the £218m acquisition of Electricity Plus Supply Limited and Gas Plus Supply Limited from Npower Limited. Peel Hunt has fully underwritten the issue.

Richard is assisted by senior corporate associate Alan Ball.  US Securities law advice has been provided by US partner Charles Casassa and senior associate Dan McNamee.

Wragge & Co's Banking and Finance team has advised Norton Finance group on a £30 million refinancing deal with The Royal Bank of Scotland plc. In addition to refinancing its existing facilities with another lender, the transaction will allow Norton Finance to expand its first and second charge mortgage lending business, as part of its ambitious plans for growth.

Hogan Lovells has advised OTKRITIE Bank and Raiffeisen Bank International as joint arrangers on Vneshprombank's debut 9.00% US$200m Reg S issue of Loan Participation Notes (LPNs), due 2016.

This is a promising new addition to the list of Russian banks expanding their fundraising activities outside of Russia and is also the first time that OTKRITIE Bank has jointly led on a Eurobond issue.

The notes were issued for a term of three years by an Irish SPV listed on the Irish Stock Exchange. The issue was rated B2 by Moody's and B+ by Standard & Poor's.

Taylor Wessing advised the shareholders of the German based social media platform operator sharewise GmbH on the acquisition by Japan based Minkabu Inc.

Sharewise.com collects and automatically ranks investment advice of its 150,000 members. With the acquisition by Minkabu, operator of renowned platforms such as minkabu.jp and caiku.com with approx. 4 million monthly unique users combined, the leading global platform for investment-related social media is established.

Ashurst is advising Jefferies International Limited and Akur Limited on the proposed IPO of Tritax Big Box REIT plc (the "Company"). The Company, which will be managed by Tritax Management LLP and Tritax Securities LLP, is seeking to raise up to £200m by way of a placing and offer for subscription of ordinary shares.

Ashurst advised BAML and Barclays (as joint bookrunners) in relation to an accelerated bookbuild placing for AIM-listed oil & gas company Bowleven plc. The new shares issued in the fundraising (which also included a private placement) represent just under 10 per cent of the issued capital of Bowleven and raised approximately US$21 million. The proceeds of the fundraising are to be used to progress Bowleven's oil & gas assets in Cameroon.

Herbert Smith Freehills is advising Morgan Stanley in relation to their role as sole underwriter and lead manager of National Storage REIT’s initial public offering and listing on the Australian Securities Exchange.

National Storage REIT will be the first independent, fully-integrated owner and operator of self-storage centres listed on the ASX. National Storage commenced operations in 2000 and is one of the largest operators and managers of self-storage centres in Australia with 62 self-storage centres under its operation or management and over 23,000 customers.