Established markets are still going strong

Although new covered bond jurisdictions such as the UK have monopolized recent headlines, established jurisdictions such as Germany, Spain, and France still account for the bulk of issuance. According to figures from CDC ICM, in the first quarter of 2003 total issuance was €35.6 billion. Of that, obligations foncières accounted for 15%; cédulas hipotecarias for 31%; and jumbo Pfandbriefe for 37%. Obligations foncières, with their true bankruptcy separation, are widely perceived to be among the safest covered bonds. Investors are also fond of them because of the relatively small number of French issuers - Crédit Immobilier de France (CIF), Compagnie de Financement Foncière (CFF), and Dexia Municipal Agency (Dexma).