• Total Nordic markets for corporate bonds grew by 9 percent in 2017, compared to 2016
  • Nasdaq to launch Nasdaq First North Sustainable Bond Market to meet increased demand for green bonds

Stockholm, January 12, 2018 - The volume of listed corporate bonds on Nasdaq's Nordic markets grew to another all-time high during 2017. At the end of the year, the total value of listed corporate bonds on the Nasdaq Nordic main markets was 74 billion EUR, representing an increase of 9,6 percent compared to 2016.

'We are excited to note a continued, strong interest in corporate bonds across the Nordics, both among issuers and the investor community,' says Ann-Charlotte Eliasson, Head of Nordic Fixed Income Listings, Nasdaq. 'We are continuously striving to create an efficient and accessible platform for companies looking to raise capital via the fixed income market, and we are proud to have welcomed a total of 321 new listings across our Nordic corporate bond markets in 2017.'

Furthermore, 1,7 billion EUR was raised on the Nasdaq Nordic Sustainable Bond Market during 2017 (up 81 percent from 2016), bringing the current, total volume of sustainable bonds to 3,5 billion EUR.

In order to enable more companies to raise capital through the sustainable bond market, Nasdaq launches Nasdaq First North Sustainable Bonds. Building on the success of the Nasdaq First North Bond Market, where nine bonds with a total volume of 264 million EUR were listed in 2017, the new market for green and sustainable bonds aims to improve the ability of companies to attain external financing in a sustainable way. To be eligible to list on the Nasdaq First North Sustainable Bonds market, the issuer must comply with the green, social and sustainable criteria that Nasdaq has developed together with Sustainalytics.

'In July 2017, the Swedish FSA revoked an earlier restriction for investment funds to invest in instruments admitted to trading on Nasdaq First North or similar MTFs,' said Ann-Charlotte Eliasson. 'By launching the Nasdaq First North Sustainable Bonds market, we hope that issuers will gain access to a wider pool of investors, while we at the same time are meeting an increased demand for green bonds among market participants.'

2017 Nasdaq Nordic Bond Markets

Number of New ListingsListed Volume (Billion EUR)Total Number of Listed BondsTotal Volume Listed (Billion EUR)
Main Market 321 22,7 1336 74
Nasdaq First North Bond Market 9 0,264 30 0,871
Sustainable Bonds 33 1,7 69 3,55
Total 363 24,6 1435 78,4

Largest Corporate Bond Issuers of 2017

IssuerListed Volume (Billion EUR)
Main Market
Landshypotek Bank 4,7
Länsförsäkringar AB 2,78
Vasakronan 2,7
Skandiabanken 2,56
Nykredit Realkredit 2,3
Sustainable Bonds
Vasakronan 0,842
Svensk FastighetsFinansiering 0,452
Fabege 0,275
Rikshem 0,193
Atrium Ljungberg 0,265
Nasdaq First North Bond Market
AX IV EG HOLDING III APS 0,188
DLG Finance A/S 0,134
Haldor Topsøe A/S 0,134
Energi Danmark A/S 0,100
St1 Nordic Corporation 0,100

About Nasdaq:
Nasdaq (Nasdaq: NDAQ) is a leading global provider of trading, clearing, exchange technology, listing, information and public company services. Through its diverse portfolio of solutions, Nasdaq enables customers to plan, optimize and execute their business vision with confidence, using proven technologies that provide transparency and insight for navigating today's global capital markets. As the creator of the world's first electronic stock market, its technology powers more than 90 marketplaces in 50 countries, and 1 in 10 of the world's securities transactions. Nasdaq is home to approximately 3,900 total listings with a market value of approximately $12 trillion. To learn more, visit: http://business.nasdaq.com

NASDAQ Inc. published this content on 12 January 2018 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein.
Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 12 January 2018 07:34:01 UTC.

Original documenthttp://business.nasdaq.com/mediacenter/pressreleases/1668807/record-year-for-nasdaqs-nordic-bond-markets

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