EU CONSUMER STAPLES: Walgreen Boots: bondholder group forming
(WBA Unsec: B1 CW Neg/BB- CW Neg)
Bloomberg reports bondholder group working on better terms particularly around 2050s - it was the lowest cash px tender, being done at mid $80s (in-line with how it was trading in secondary).
Tender for cash repurchase out on the £25/26s as well, deadline 4th, settlement 19th.
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FOREX: FX OPTION EXPIRY - Large one in the EUR
Of note:
EURUSD 4.24bn at 1.1775/1.1800.
EURUSD 7.50bn at 1.1770/1.1800 (thu).
USDCAD 1.32bn at 1.3600 (thu).
AUDUSD 1.22bn at 0.6500 and 2.55bn at 0.6600 (fri).
- EURUSD: 1.1775 (1.02bn), 1.1785 (387mln), 1.1790 (464mln), 1.1795 (542mln), 1.1800 (1.83bn), 1.1825 (605mln).
- USDJPY: 143.00 (554mln), 143.50 (280mln), 144.00 (598mln), 144.75 (699mln).
- USCAD: 1.3625 (450mln).
- AUDUSD: 0.6550 (655mln).
SOFR OPTIONS: SFRU5 96.00/96.3125 Call Spread Sold
SFRU5 96.00/96.3125 call spread 5K given at 6.0.
SECURITY: UK & Germany To Sign Defence Pact In Coming Weeks: Politico
Politico reports that the UK and Germany will sign a wide-ranging defence pact in the coming weeks that will pledge mutual support in the case of a strategic threat to either. This will provide Germany with mutual assistance clauses with both European nuclear powers, and moves towards Chancellor Friedrich Merz's goal of bolstering deterrents to an attack on the European continent away from the US.
- The report says the treaty will build on the joint declaration from 2024 between UK PM Sir Keir Starmer and Merz's predecessor, Olaf Scholz. Claims that the pact will be signed on 17 July, ahead of their respective legislatures going into summer recess.
- The article notes that while sections on countering illegal migration, aiding research and development, and boosting transport links will prove uncontroversial, the inclusion of a section on boosting cross-border exchanges could raise hackles in Westminster. The Starmer gov't is under pressure to reduce both legal and illegal migration to the UK.
- Despite US President Donald Trump's apparent warming towards NATO at last week's summit, European countries remain critically aware that the US is looking to draw down its commitments to protecting the continent. As such, these forms of bilateral pacts, alongside the overarching NATO structure, could become more common. This is especially the case for France and the UK, with countries potentially looking to come under their 'nuclear umbrella' (not just Article 5 mutual response in case of attack, but an active pledge to defend a non-nuclear ally).
