The Dubai office of Clifford Chance LLP has advised Sharjah Islamic Bank PJSC (SIB) in relation to its US$1.5 billion Trust Certificate Issuance Programme, which was established on 8 April 2013. The inaugural issuance of US$500 million 2.95% trust certificates due 2018 under the programme took place on 16 April 2013 and represents the first senior sukuk from a financial institution from the region this year.  The orderbook was over six times subscribed at close of the transaction with a strong orderbook comprising of institutional investors from the Middle East, Asia and Europe.

Clifford Chance Paris advised BNP Paribas and the other lead managers on the issue by Banque PSA Finance of 1.2 billion euros of bonds benefiting from the guarantee of the French State.

Banque PSA Finance provides financing for the commercial activities of the PSA automobile group. The bond are listed on Euronext Paris, have an interest rate of 0.625% per annum and a maturity of three years.  The French State guarantee meant that the bond issue was able to obtain a rating of AA+ from Standard & Poor's and Aa1 form Moody's.

One of Sheffield’s longest established companies, Fox Wire, has secured an equity and debt finance package which allows it to move forward with its growth strategy- thanks to support from the Corporate team at law firm Irwin Mitchell.

Tracing its roots back to the 1842, Fox Wire is the UKs largest manufacturer of engineering wires in stainless steel, nickel alloys, copper, brass and aluminium. It exports into Europe from its UK base in Stocksbridge, Sheffield, and through its wholly owned German subsidiary, Fox Wire GmbH.

Clifford Chance advised European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS N.V. and its subsidiary EADS Finance B.V. on its debut US bond issue with an issue volume of USD 1 billion. The bonds were issued by EADS Finance B.V. primarily to US institutional investors pursuant to Rule 144A and were irrevocably and unconditionally guaranteed by the Dutch listed holding company European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS N.V. J.P. Morgan, Barclays, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley and RBS acted as joint Book-Running Managers.

Herbert Smith Freehills has acted as international counsel to Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited, DBS Bank Ltd., The Royal Bank of Scotland plc and Standard Chartered Bank, as joint lead managers in relation to the issuance of S$250 million 4.25% notes (the "Notes") due 2016 by Tata Communications (Netherlands) B.V., which were guaranteed by Tata Communications Limited.

Simmons & Simmons Advises Bayerische Landesbank Munich on €70m Securitisation

International law firm Simmons & Simmons has advised Bayerische Landesbank Munich (BLB), as arranger, on the structuring of an Italian securitisation transaction. The deal was collateralised by healthcare receivables originated in Italy and owned by Italian public healthcare authorities and/or public hospitals and/or equivalent entities in the public sector located in various Italian Regions in relation to Farmafactoring.

Clifford Chance and Al Jadaan & Partners Law Firm has advised Saudi Fransi Capital Limited (the Saudi affiliate of Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank) in relation to the issuance of SAR1.3 billion sukuk al-ijara due 2015 by SBG Sukuk Limited.  The sukuk were priced at 170 basis points over 3 months SAIBOR and have a 2.5 year tenor, with a call option.

Clifford Chance has advised ING Real Estate Finance on the refinancing of a € 70.5 million loan to W.P. Carey, an American listed property fund. The financing concerns a real estate portfolio of six distribution centres in the Netherlands that were leased in a sale and leaseback transaction in 2011 to Jumbo (at the time C1000). The refinancing includes a seven year extension of the term of the loan, the resignation of BAWAG as lender and the accession of Pricoa Mortgage Capital, part of the American US Prudential Financial, as new lender.

Ashurst has advised Ares Management LLC on a Unitranche-financing on the acquisition of the German Fachpflege Holding.

Ares Management LLC, a leading global diversified private equity firm, has provided a Unitranche facility for the acquisition of the German Professional Care Holding by a subsidiary of Chequers Capital. The amount of the debt was not disclosed. Ares Management LLC acted as an arranger, information and calculation agent as well as a security agent on the transaction.

Herbert Smith Freehills has acted as international counsel to Citigroup Global Markets Limited and Standard Chartered Bank as joint lead managers and bookrunners, and BT Bahana Securities as co-manager on PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk's (BRI) US$500 million 2.95% notes (the Notes) due 2018 which were listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange.

Herbert Smith Freehills' affiliate firm, Hiswara Bunjamin & Tandjung (HBT) advised the joint lead managers and the co-manager as to the matters of Indonesian law.