Clifford Chance in Dubai has advised Standard Chartered Bank as Global Coordinator and Joint Lead Manager, Dubai Islamic Bank PJSC, First Gulf Bank PJSC, Goldman Sachs International and National Bank of Abu Dhabi PJSC as Joint Lead Managers and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank PJSC and Union National Bank PJSC as Senior Co-Lead Managers on the issuance by Aldar Properties PJSC (Aldar) of the US$750 million 4.348% trust certificates due 2018 (the Sukuk) listed on the Irish Stock Exchange.

Clifford Chance advises the arrangers and dealers on the establishment of a US$2 billion trust certificate issuance programme by Ooredoo Q.S.C. and the inaugural issuance of US$1.25 billion of trust certificates thereunder

Norton Rose Fulbright has acted on the infrastructure bonds that have refinanced part of the existing bank debt relating to the Adani-owned Abbot Point Coal Terminal No: 1 that services the vast Bowen and Galilee coal basins. On 10 December the Australian Government announced approval of the expansion of the Abbott Point coal port facility which will be the world’s largest when the expansion is completed.

The refinancing was partly funded by the issuance of BBB-rated senior notes with a face value of $500 million.

Simmons & Simmons has advised Credit Guarantee & Investment Facility (CGIF), a trust fund of Asia Development Bank, as guarantor of up to Rp 300bn ($25m) bond issued by PT BCA Finance, an automotive financing unit of Bank Central Asia. GCIF is a supranational entity based in the Philippines.

CGIF was established by ASEAN, People’s Republic of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea, to help develop Asian bond markets and whose mandate is to guarantee issuances by companies in this region.

DLA Piper represented Fibra UNO, Mexico’s first publicly traded REIT, in its debut in the Mexican debt capital markets. By issuing stock certificates for a total of $8.5 billion pesos, the deal marks the first time a Mexican REIT issued debt in the capital markets and is the largest debut for a corporate issuer.

Watson, Farley & Williams has advised Bluewater on the amendment and restatement of its secured syndicated revolving credit and project finance facilities in connection with the issue of a US$400 million senior unsecured Norwegian bond to replace its current one.

Ashurst advised an international banking consortium comprising Barclays Bank PLC (technical lead), Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft and HSBC Bank plc on the successful issuance of a €500 million bond by Erste Group Bank AG ("Erste Group"). The bond was issued unter Erste Group's newly established debt issuance programme for bonds ("Debt Issuance Programme") and placed with institutional investors.

Prior to this transaction Ashurst had acted for Barclays Bank PLC as arranger in relation to the establishment of the Debt Issuance Programme.

Slaughter and May, working as a team with Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, Homburger AG and Karatzas & Partners, is advising Dufry, a leading global travel retailer, on financing agreed in connection with the acquisition of the remaining 49% stake of Hellenic Duty Free ('HDF') from Foli Follie Group for EUR 328 million (CHF 401 million) in cash and shares.

DLA Piper represented Isola USA Corp., a Chandler, Arizona-based global material sciences company, in connection with the refinancing of its senior debt and pay down of other debt. Jefferies Finance LLC served as the sole arranger under Isola’s new $250 million senior secured credit facility agreement.

Steve Pidgeon, co-managing partner of DLA Piper’s Phoenix office, serves as Isola’s primary outside lawyer, while the financing was handled mainly by DLA Piper partner Jamie Knox (New York); and associates Jennifer Dinsmore (Baltimore) and Tonya Gauff (Chicago).

Ashurst advised an international banking consortium comprising Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank as well as DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral-Genossenschaftsbank, Frankfurt am Main (technical lead) on the successful issuance of an environmental bond by NRW.BANK. The NRW.BANK Green Bond will serve to refinance environmentally-friendly water and energy projects in North Rhine-Westphalia. The bond matures on 28 November 2017, has a volume of €250 million and pays interest at a rate of 0.75 per cent per annum.