Archive for July, 2016

July 25, 2016

Monday, July 25th, 2016
HIMIPref™ Preferred Indices
These values reflect the December 2008 revision of the HIMIPref™ Indices

Values are provisional and are finalized monthly
Index Mean
Current
Yield
(at bid)
Median
YTW
Median
Average
Trading
Value
Median
Mod Dur
(YTW)
Issues Day’s Perf. Index Value
Ratchet 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 0.3624 % 1,666.2
FixedFloater 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 0.3624 % 3,043.9
Floater 4.93 % 4.72 % 88,989 16.01 4 0.3624 % 1,754.2
OpRet 4.84 % -0.58 % 43,220 0.10 1 0.0395 % 2,850.4
SplitShare 5.11 % 5.42 % 100,253 4.57 5 -0.0161 % 3,367.4
Interest-Bearing 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 -0.0161 % 2,627.4
Perpetual-Premium 5.48 % -12.44 % 80,448 0.09 12 -0.1231 % 2,683.4
Perpetual-Discount 5.23 % 5.21 % 100,913 15.12 26 -0.0693 % 2,836.2
FixedReset 5.00 % 4.32 % 149,948 7.13 88 -0.0164 % 2,034.0
Deemed-Retractible 5.01 % 3.96 % 124,370 0.09 33 -0.1774 % 2,772.1
FloatingReset 2.95 % 4.47 % 32,391 5.13 11 -0.0147 % 2,145.1
Performance Highlights
Issue Index Change Notes
HSE.PR.A FixedReset -1.50 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-25
Maturity Price : 11.79
Evaluated at bid price : 11.79
Bid-YTW : 5.11 %
GWO.PR.M Deemed-Retractible -1.48 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-08-24
Maturity Price : 25.75
Evaluated at bid price : 26.01
Bid-YTW : -1.94 %
TRP.PR.G FixedReset -1.26 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-25
Maturity Price : 19.65
Evaluated at bid price : 19.65
Bid-YTW : 4.72 %
BAM.PF.H FixedReset -1.14 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2020-12-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.10
Bid-YTW : 4.02 %
HSE.PR.E FixedReset -1.11 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-25
Maturity Price : 19.63
Evaluated at bid price : 19.63
Bid-YTW : 5.52 %
MFC.PR.M FixedReset -1.10 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 18.88
Bid-YTW : 7.44 %
BNS.PR.E FixedReset -1.08 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-04-25
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.51
Bid-YTW : 4.10 %
BIP.PR.B FixedReset -1.07 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2020-12-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.85
Bid-YTW : 4.77 %
MFC.PR.L FixedReset -1.03 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 18.27
Bid-YTW : 7.70 %
MFC.PR.F FixedReset 1.05 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 14.41
Bid-YTW : 9.59 %
BNS.PR.D FloatingReset 1.05 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 19.20
Bid-YTW : 6.53 %
VNR.PR.A FixedReset 1.11 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-25
Maturity Price : 18.25
Evaluated at bid price : 18.25
Bid-YTW : 4.85 %
CCS.PR.C Deemed-Retractible 1.34 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.12
Bid-YTW : 5.61 %
BMO.PR.Q FixedReset 1.35 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 20.25
Bid-YTW : 6.04 %
FTS.PR.H FixedReset 1.36 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-25
Maturity Price : 14.15
Evaluated at bid price : 14.15
Bid-YTW : 3.90 %
BAM.PR.K Floater 1.38 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-25
Maturity Price : 10.25
Evaluated at bid price : 10.25
Bid-YTW : 4.65 %
TRP.PR.C FixedReset 1.50 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-25
Maturity Price : 12.86
Evaluated at bid price : 12.86
Bid-YTW : 4.31 %
CU.PR.C FixedReset 2.07 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-25
Maturity Price : 17.76
Evaluated at bid price : 17.76
Bid-YTW : 4.42 %
GWO.PR.N FixedReset 2.11 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 14.55
Bid-YTW : 9.37 %
FTS.PR.G FixedReset 2.16 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-25
Maturity Price : 18.00
Evaluated at bid price : 18.00
Bid-YTW : 4.09 %
TRP.PR.H FloatingReset 2.57 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-25
Maturity Price : 10.39
Evaluated at bid price : 10.39
Bid-YTW : 4.34 %
Volume Highlights
Issue Index Shares
Traded
Notes
NA.PR.A FixedReset 94,134 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-08-15
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.19
Bid-YTW : 4.51 %
TRP.PR.D FixedReset 59,673 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-25
Maturity Price : 18.00
Evaluated at bid price : 18.00
Bid-YTW : 4.42 %
HSB.PR.C Deemed-Retractible 50,800 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-08-24
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.15
Bid-YTW : 2.04 %
BIP.PR.A FixedReset 43,500 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-25
Maturity Price : 19.65
Evaluated at bid price : 19.65
Bid-YTW : 5.50 %
MFC.PR.J FixedReset 38,250 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 19.44
Bid-YTW : 7.03 %
HSE.PR.G FixedReset 27,400 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-25
Maturity Price : 19.90
Evaluated at bid price : 19.90
Bid-YTW : 5.42 %
There were 13 other index-included issues trading in excess of 10,000 shares.
Wide Spread Highlights
Issue Index Quote Data and Yield Notes
BNS.PR.E FixedReset Quote: 26.51 – 26.98
Spot Rate : 0.4700
Average : 0.2930

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-04-25
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.51
Bid-YTW : 4.10 %

GWO.PR.M Deemed-Retractible Quote: 26.01 – 26.44
Spot Rate : 0.4300
Average : 0.2685

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-08-24
Maturity Price : 25.75
Evaluated at bid price : 26.01
Bid-YTW : -1.94 %

TRP.PR.J FixedReset Quote: 26.35 – 26.72
Spot Rate : 0.3700
Average : 0.2670

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-05-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.35
Bid-YTW : 4.47 %

IAG.PR.G FixedReset Quote: 19.35 – 19.65
Spot Rate : 0.3000
Average : 0.2150

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 19.35
Bid-YTW : 7.27 %

MFC.PR.F FixedReset Quote: 14.41 – 14.64
Spot Rate : 0.2300
Average : 0.1479

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 14.41
Bid-YTW : 9.59 %

POW.PR.D Perpetual-Discount Quote: 24.10 – 24.34
Spot Rate : 0.2400
Average : 0.1599

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-25
Maturity Price : 23.85
Evaluated at bid price : 24.10
Bid-YTW : 5.21 %

New Issue: BIP FixedReset 5.35%+464M535

Monday, July 25th, 2016

Brookfield Infrastructure has announced:

that it has agreed to issue 8,000,000 Cumulative Class A Preferred Limited Partnership Units, Series 5 (“Series 5 Preferred Units”) on a bought deal basis to a syndicate of underwriters led by TD Securities Inc., CIBC Capital Markets, RBC Capital Markets, and Scotiabank. The Series 5 Preferred Units will be issued at a price of $25.00 per unit, for gross proceeds of $200,000,000. Holders of the Series 5 Preferred Units will be entitled to receive a cumulative quarterly fixed distribution at a rate of 5.35% annually for the initial period ending September 30, 2021. Thereafter, the distribution rate will be reset every five years at a rate equal to the greater of: (i) the 5-year Government of Canada bond yield plus 4.64%, and (ii) 5.35%. The Series 5 Preferred Units are redeemable on or after September 30, 2021.

Holders of the Series 5 Preferred Units will have the right, at their option, to reclassify their Series 5 Preferred Units into Cumulative Class A Preferred Limited Partnership Units, Series 6 (“Series 6 Preferred Units”), subject to certain conditions, on September 30, 2021 and on September 30 every five years thereafter. Holders of Series 6 Preferred Units will be entitled to receive a cumulative quarterly floating distribution at a rate equal to the 90-day Canadian Treasury Bill yield plus 4.64%.

Brookfield Infrastructure has granted the underwriters an option, exercisable until 48 hours prior to closing, to purchase up to an additional 2,000,000 Series 5 Preferred Units which, if exercised, would increase the gross offering size to $250,000,000.

The Series 5 Preferred Units will be offered in all provinces and territories of Canada by way of a supplement to Brookfield Infrastructure’s existing short form base shelf prospectus.

Brookfield Infrastructure intends to use the net proceeds of the issue of the Series 5 Preferred Units for investment opportunities, working capital and other general corporate purposes. The offering of Series 5 Preferred Units is expected to close on or about August 2, 2016.

Note that this issue has an unusual tax status on its distributions: like BIP.PR.A and BIP.PR.B, the distributions will be comprised of a mixture of ordinary income and return of capital, in what are expected to be approximately equal proportions, but with no guarantees on just what the proportions will be, either for any particular year or in total!

It will be interesting to see how this issue trades relative to BIP.PR.B, which is a FixedReset, 5.50%+453M550 (Interest + ROC). Readers will note that BIP.PR.B has a lower Issue Reset Spread (453bp vs 464bp) than the new issue, but a higher Minimum Reset Rate (5.50% vs. 5.35%). BIP.PR.B closed today at 25.85-96, 2×5.

July 22, 2016

Friday, July 22nd, 2016

Jason Zweig of the Wall Street Journal has some good advice for fixed income investors in a piece titled Investors: Do the Hard Thing, Don’t Do the Easy Thing:

The reach for yield is becoming a reckless lunge.

While high-quality bonds still have their place, too many investors are buying high-risk bonds instead.

Since June 30, according to TrimTabs Investment Research, a firm in Sausalito, Calif., that tracks how money moves in and out of the financial markets, investors have poured $1.2 billion into exchange-traded funds specializing in bonds from emerging-market countries. So far in July, investors have pumped another $2.8 billion into high-yield ETFs holding so-called junk bonds issued by below-investment-grade companies.

Put simply, one out of every 14 dollars invested in those two fund categories arrived in the past three weeks.

The easy thing is to submit to your worst instincts and reach for riskier investments that pay higher income — for now.

What is hard is to be patient and ornery. As bonds yield less, save more. Remember that you can get higher yield only by buying longer-term or lower-quality bonds — which will also raise your risk. With interest payments so low, long-term bonds are particularly vulnerable to an unexpected rise in rates.

HIMIPref™ Preferred Indices
These values reflect the December 2008 revision of the HIMIPref™ Indices

Values are provisional and are finalized monthly
Index Mean
Current
Yield
(at bid)
Median
YTW
Median
Average
Trading
Value
Median
Mod Dur
(YTW)
Issues Day’s Perf. Index Value
Ratchet 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 -0.3251 % 1,660.2
FixedFloater 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 -0.3251 % 3,032.9
Floater 4.95 % 4.72 % 89,848 16.01 4 -0.3251 % 1,747.9
OpRet 4.84 % -0.17 % 45,000 0.11 1 0.6362 % 2,849.3
SplitShare 5.11 % 5.41 % 98,639 2.31 5 0.1448 % 3,368.0
Interest-Bearing 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 0.1448 % 2,627.8
Perpetual-Premium 5.47 % 1.62 % 83,037 0.28 12 0.1614 % 2,686.7
Perpetual-Discount 5.22 % 5.14 % 101,921 15.07 26 0.1658 % 2,838.2
FixedReset 5.00 % 4.34 % 151,499 7.14 88 0.6438 % 2,034.4
Deemed-Retractible 5.00 % 3.17 % 125,421 0.09 33 0.1454 % 2,777.0
FloatingReset 2.90 % 4.40 % 31,964 5.15 11 0.4780 % 2,145.4
Performance Highlights
Issue Index Change Notes
SLF.PR.J FloatingReset -1.13 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 12.26
Bid-YTW : 11.42 %
BAM.PR.R FixedReset 1.01 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-22
Maturity Price : 16.05
Evaluated at bid price : 16.05
Bid-YTW : 4.67 %
CM.PR.P FixedReset 1.03 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-22
Maturity Price : 18.72
Evaluated at bid price : 18.72
Bid-YTW : 4.10 %
RY.PR.M FixedReset 1.03 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-22
Maturity Price : 19.97
Evaluated at bid price : 19.97
Bid-YTW : 4.18 %
TD.PF.D FixedReset 1.04 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-22
Maturity Price : 20.39
Evaluated at bid price : 20.39
Bid-YTW : 4.27 %
RY.PR.Z FixedReset 1.05 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-22
Maturity Price : 19.05
Evaluated at bid price : 19.05
Bid-YTW : 3.96 %
BNS.PR.E FixedReset 1.09 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-04-25
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.80
Bid-YTW : 3.83 %
RY.PR.H FixedReset 1.13 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-22
Maturity Price : 18.84
Evaluated at bid price : 18.84
Bid-YTW : 4.06 %
SLF.PR.I FixedReset 1.14 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 18.71
Bid-YTW : 7.58 %
RY.PR.R FixedReset 1.14 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-08-24
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.78
Bid-YTW : 3.87 %
BNS.PR.B FloatingReset 1.19 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 22.18
Bid-YTW : 4.40 %
BAM.PF.A FixedReset 1.19 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-22
Maturity Price : 19.59
Evaluated at bid price : 19.59
Bid-YTW : 4.72 %
BAM.PF.F FixedReset 1.27 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-22
Maturity Price : 20.00
Evaluated at bid price : 20.00
Bid-YTW : 4.64 %
TRP.PR.C FixedReset 1.36 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-22
Maturity Price : 12.67
Evaluated at bid price : 12.67
Bid-YTW : 4.37 %
BAM.PF.B FixedReset 1.39 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-22
Maturity Price : 18.19
Evaluated at bid price : 18.19
Bid-YTW : 4.76 %
HSE.PR.A FixedReset 1.44 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-22
Maturity Price : 11.97
Evaluated at bid price : 11.97
Bid-YTW : 5.03 %
RY.PR.J FixedReset 1.45 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-22
Maturity Price : 20.37
Evaluated at bid price : 20.37
Bid-YTW : 4.21 %
BAM.PF.E FixedReset 1.53 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-22
Maturity Price : 19.20
Evaluated at bid price : 19.20
Bid-YTW : 4.54 %
BNS.PR.R FixedReset 1.54 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.39
Bid-YTW : 3.63 %
MFC.PR.N FixedReset 1.55 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 18.96
Bid-YTW : 7.30 %
PWF.PR.T FixedReset 1.56 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-22
Maturity Price : 20.16
Evaluated at bid price : 20.16
Bid-YTW : 3.94 %
CU.PR.C FixedReset 1.58 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-22
Maturity Price : 17.40
Evaluated at bid price : 17.40
Bid-YTW : 4.51 %
FTS.PR.H FixedReset 1.68 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-22
Maturity Price : 13.96
Evaluated at bid price : 13.96
Bid-YTW : 3.95 %
TRP.PR.A FixedReset 1.69 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-22
Maturity Price : 15.05
Evaluated at bid price : 15.05
Bid-YTW : 4.54 %
BAM.PF.G FixedReset 1.84 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-22
Maturity Price : 20.49
Evaluated at bid price : 20.49
Bid-YTW : 4.56 %
MFC.PR.M FixedReset 1.87 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 19.09
Bid-YTW : 7.27 %
TRP.PR.G FixedReset 2.58 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-22
Maturity Price : 19.90
Evaluated at bid price : 19.90
Bid-YTW : 4.66 %
Volume Highlights
Issue Index Shares
Traded
Notes
MFC.PR.J FixedReset 199,600 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 19.56
Bid-YTW : 6.93 %
FTS.PR.K FixedReset 79,825 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-22
Maturity Price : 18.11
Evaluated at bid price : 18.11
Bid-YTW : 4.03 %
MFC.PR.F FixedReset 68,001 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 14.26
Bid-YTW : 9.72 %
NA.PR.A FixedReset 65,811 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-08-15
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.21
Bid-YTW : 4.48 %
RY.PR.E Deemed-Retractible 44,700 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-08-21
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.07
Bid-YTW : -3.82 %
BNS.PR.Q FixedReset 40,065 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 23.93
Bid-YTW : 3.75 %
There were 34 other index-included issues trading in excess of 10,000 shares.
Wide Spread Highlights
Issue Index Quote Data and Yield Notes
TRP.PR.E FixedReset Quote: 18.50 – 18.92
Spot Rate : 0.4200
Average : 0.2868

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-22
Maturity Price : 18.50
Evaluated at bid price : 18.50
Bid-YTW : 4.36 %

TRP.PR.D FixedReset Quote: 17.93 – 18.24
Spot Rate : 0.3100
Average : 0.2080

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-22
Maturity Price : 17.93
Evaluated at bid price : 17.93
Bid-YTW : 4.44 %

RY.PR.W Perpetual-Discount Quote: 24.80 – 25.06
Spot Rate : 0.2600
Average : 0.1647

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-22
Maturity Price : 24.55
Evaluated at bid price : 24.80
Bid-YTW : 4.93 %

PWF.PR.T FixedReset Quote: 20.16 – 20.54
Spot Rate : 0.3800
Average : 0.2936

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-22
Maturity Price : 20.16
Evaluated at bid price : 20.16
Bid-YTW : 3.94 %

FTS.PR.H FixedReset Quote: 13.96 – 14.34
Spot Rate : 0.3800
Average : 0.2977

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-22
Maturity Price : 13.96
Evaluated at bid price : 13.96
Bid-YTW : 3.95 %

NA.PR.X FixedReset Quote: 26.50 – 26.69
Spot Rate : 0.1900
Average : 0.1214

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-05-15
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.50
Bid-YTW : 4.15 %

July 21, 2016

Thursday, July 21st, 2016

So now it’s official: it’s not what you know, it’s who you know:

Among currently employed workers, those who found their job through a referral from their network had an average weekly salary of $772.20, or roughly $40,000 per year. Those who did not find their job via a referral had an average weekly salary of $725.84, or nearly $38,000 per year. On average, salaries were 6 percent higher if workers found their job through their networks.

Further, their earnings are even more positively skewed. One way to interpret this is that network searchers have more “upside” risk: They can potentially draw a variety of wages, but there are more very high potential outcomes through the network, To quantify this, Kelley’s statistic is 0.6 for network-finders and 0.44 for others, meaning that 80 percent rather than 74 percent of the dispersion between 90th and 10th percentile is accounted for by the top half (from 90th percentile to 50th).

The distribution of wage offers should typically be different from the distribution of wages among employed workers. Not all offers are accepted, and workers at lower wages tend to make more over time through selective job mobility and pay increases on the job. Still, even among the distribution of wage offers, we see a premium associated with those who found jobs through their network. Workers who were searching while unemployed received offers through their networks that averaged 62 percent more than those found through direct contact. Workers searching while employed received network offers that were 12 percent higher, on average.

This is based on a working paper by Marcelo Arbex, Dennis O’Dea, and David Wiczer titled Network Search: Climbing the Job Ladder Faster:

We introduce an irregular network structure into a model of frictional, on-the-job search in which workers find jobs through their network connections or directly from firms. We show that jobs found through network search have wages that stochastically dominate those found through direct contact. Because we consider irregular networks, heterogeneity in the worker’s position within the network leads to heterogeneity in wage and employment dynamics: better connected workers climb the job ladder faster and do not fall off it as far. These workers also pass along higher quality referrals, which benefits their connections. Despite this rich heterogeneity from the network structure, the mean-field approach allows the problem of our workers to be formulated tractably and recursively. We then calibrate and study the wage and employment dynamics coming from our job ladder with network heterogeneity. This quantitative version of our mechanism is consistent with several features of empirical studies on networks and labor markets: jobs found through networks have higher wages and last longer.

HIMIPref™ Preferred Indices
These values reflect the December 2008 revision of the HIMIPref™ Indices

Values are provisional and are finalized monthly
Index Mean
Current
Yield
(at bid)
Median
YTW
Median
Average
Trading
Value
Median
Mod Dur
(YTW)
Issues Day’s Perf. Index Value
Ratchet 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 -0.0542 % 1,665.6
FixedFloater 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 -0.0542 % 3,042.8
Floater 4.93 % 4.70 % 90,430 16.04 4 -0.0542 % 1,753.6
OpRet 4.87 % 5.56 % 46,750 0.11 1 -0.7106 % 2,831.3
SplitShare 5.12 % 5.50 % 98,394 4.57 5 0.0966 % 3,363.1
Interest-Bearing 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 0.0966 % 2,624.0
Perpetual-Premium 5.48 % 1.61 % 82,677 0.28 12 0.0746 % 2,682.4
Perpetual-Discount 5.22 % 5.16 % 100,386 15.10 26 0.1420 % 2,833.5
FixedReset 5.02 % 4.34 % 152,073 7.15 88 -0.0562 % 2,021.3
Deemed-Retractible 5.00 % 3.50 % 124,546 0.34 33 0.3321 % 2,773.0
FloatingReset 2.91 % 4.55 % 31,749 5.15 11 0.2124 % 2,135.2
Performance Highlights
Issue Index Change Notes
FTS.PR.K FixedReset -1.15 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-21
Maturity Price : 18.03
Evaluated at bid price : 18.03
Bid-YTW : 4.04 %
FTS.PR.M FixedReset -1.10 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-21
Maturity Price : 19.70
Evaluated at bid price : 19.70
Bid-YTW : 4.25 %
TRP.PR.C FixedReset -1.03 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-21
Maturity Price : 12.50
Evaluated at bid price : 12.50
Bid-YTW : 4.43 %
MFC.PR.L FixedReset 1.05 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 18.29
Bid-YTW : 7.67 %
BAM.PR.S FloatingReset 1.13 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-21
Maturity Price : 14.31
Evaluated at bid price : 14.31
Bid-YTW : 4.88 %
SLF.PR.C Deemed-Retractible 1.39 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 22.55
Bid-YTW : 6.01 %
POW.PR.D Perpetual-Discount 1.47 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-21
Maturity Price : 23.91
Evaluated at bid price : 24.15
Bid-YTW : 5.20 %
TRP.PR.B FixedReset 1.64 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-21
Maturity Price : 11.75
Evaluated at bid price : 11.75
Bid-YTW : 4.24 %
GWO.PR.I Deemed-Retractible 1.73 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 22.89
Bid-YTW : 5.84 %
CCS.PR.C Deemed-Retractible 2.35 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.00
Bid-YTW : 5.68 %
Volume Highlights
Issue Index Shares
Traded
Notes
TRP.PR.J FixedReset 79,196 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-05-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.41
Bid-YTW : 4.40 %
FTS.PR.J Perpetual-Discount 43,400 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-21
Maturity Price : 23.22
Evaluated at bid price : 23.65
Bid-YTW : 5.07 %
TRP.PR.D FixedReset 41,631 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-21
Maturity Price : 17.90
Evaluated at bid price : 17.90
Bid-YTW : 4.45 %
POW.PR.A Perpetual-Premium 32,700 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-08-20
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.49
Bid-YTW : -16.23 %
TD.PF.B FixedReset 28,925 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-21
Maturity Price : 18.62
Evaluated at bid price : 18.62
Bid-YTW : 4.12 %
CCS.PR.C Deemed-Retractible 24,850 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.00
Bid-YTW : 5.68 %
There were 15 other index-included issues trading in excess of 10,000 shares.
Wide Spread Highlights
Issue Index Quote Data and Yield Notes
VNR.PR.A FixedReset Quote: 18.05 – 19.40
Spot Rate : 1.3500
Average : 0.9878

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-21
Maturity Price : 18.05
Evaluated at bid price : 18.05
Bid-YTW : 4.90 %

BIP.PR.B FixedReset Quote: 26.10 – 26.56
Spot Rate : 0.4600
Average : 0.3275

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2020-12-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.10
Bid-YTW : 4.50 %

BNS.PR.E FixedReset Quote: 26.51 – 26.75
Spot Rate : 0.2400
Average : 0.1528

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-04-25
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.51
Bid-YTW : 4.09 %

BAM.PF.G FixedReset Quote: 20.12 – 20.38
Spot Rate : 0.2600
Average : 0.1788

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-21
Maturity Price : 20.12
Evaluated at bid price : 20.12
Bid-YTW : 4.65 %

FTS.PR.M FixedReset Quote: 19.70 – 19.98
Spot Rate : 0.2800
Average : 0.2034

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-21
Maturity Price : 19.70
Evaluated at bid price : 19.70
Bid-YTW : 4.25 %

FTS.PR.E OpRet Quote: 25.15 – 25.39
Spot Rate : 0.2400
Average : 0.1684

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Soft Maturity
Maturity Date : 2016-08-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.15
Bid-YTW : 5.56 %

RON.PR.A, RON.PR.B Upgraded to P-2 by S&P

Thursday, July 21st, 2016

Standard & Poor’s has announced:

  • •Boucherville, Que.-based RONA Inc. recently announced that Lowe’s Cos. Inc. (A-/Stable/A-2) has provided guarantees of the obligations under RONA’s preferred shares and debentures outstanding.
  • •As a result, we are raising our issue-level rating on RONA’s senior unsecured notes to ‘A-‘ from ‘BBB+’ and our global scale rating on the company’s preferred shares to ‘BBB’ from ‘BBB-‘.
  • •At the same time, we are affirming our ‘BBB+’ long-term corporate credit rating on RONA.
  • •The stable outlook on RONA reflects our stable outlook on Lowe’s and our expectation that over our two-year outlook horizon, RONA’s stand-alone business and financial risk profiles should be unchanged.


RONA recently announced that Lowe’s Cos. Inc. (A-/Stable/A-2) has guaranteed RONA’s preferred shares outstanding as well as the company’s 5.4% debentures due Oct. 20, 2016.

“We base the upgrade on Lowe’s guarantee of RONA’s preferred shares and debentures outstanding,” said S&P Global Ratings credit analyst Alessio Di Francesco.

In our opinion, this guarantee has enhanced the credit profile of these issues resulting in a one-notch upgrade. Our rating on RONA’s senior unsecured debentures is now equalized with our ‘A-‘ issue-level rating on Lowe’s senior unsecured notes. Our ‘BBB’ global scale rating on RONA’s preferred shares is two notches below our long-term corporate credit rating on Lowe’s (guarantor). The notching incorporates our view that the preferred shares have an optional deferral feature and are subordinated to Lowe’s debt outstanding.

The guarantee by Lowe’s has been previously reported on PrefBlog. DBRS has discontinued its rating of RONA, so the S&P rating is the only one available. S&P previously rated the issues P-2(low) following the closing of the takeover via Plan of Arrangement on May 20. RONA’s preferred shareholders turned down a $20 cash offer that was part of the plan. Since March 31, the TXPR total return index has returned +5.42%, while RON.PR.A is up 3.75% from the $20 offer.

July 20, 2016

Wednesday, July 20th, 2016

The war on markets continued today with the arrest of Mark Johnson, HSBC’s global head of foreign exchange cash trading in London:

The two allegedly conspired to take advantage of inside information about an unidentified company’s plans to sell part of its stake in an Indian subsidiary, according to the complaint. The client was Cairn Energy Plc, which was selling the unit to Vedanta Resources Plc, according to people with knowledge of the transaction. HSBC was hired to trade about $3.5 billion in proceeds of the sale to pounds. Johnson and Scott began buying pounds in the days before the transaction, anticipating that they would cause the price of pounds to spike — a practice known as “ramping” — then execute the transaction, making the pounds they’d bought earlier more valuable, according to the complaint.

Scott and Johnson — his supervisor at the time — told the client the deal should take place at 3 p.m. “so there’s an element of surprise” to get a better rate, according to the complaint, which quoted from recorded phone calls and messages between the two and their client. There was less liquidity at the 3 p.m. fix than the one at 4p.m., making it easier to manipulate, though they told their client they were about the same.

They and other traders they directed ramped the price, sending the pound to its highest in two days at 2:56 p.m. London time. When Scott told Johnson the client was still going ahead with the full transaction despite the spiking price, Johnson said “Ohhhh, f***ing Christmas,” according to the complaint. In the end, HSBC and the men’s internal accounts reaped about $8 million from the front-running, according to Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Robert Capers.

GBPRamping
Click for Big

Well, the main thing that sticks out in this story to me is the fact that whoever it was at Cairn Energy who negotiated this deal is a complete idiot. Converting $3.5-billion into pounds in one trade at one specific time? Didn’t it occur to anybody to think, gee, this is kind of a big trade? It also looks as if this idiot who somehow managed to be in charge of $3.5-billion has no idea whether the guys at HSBC are fiduciaries or counterparties – and the idiot had a responsibility to know that.

The second thing to jump out at me is the question of what the authorities suggest HSBC should have done. They were told to convert $3.5-billion at the 3pm fixing, so they did. As they are not as stupid as the moron at Cairn Energy, they laid off their end in pieces. Does anybody care to guess in the comments what the execution price of the trade would have been if the entire order had been placed electronically as a market order at 2:59:59?

HIMIPref™ Preferred Indices
These values reflect the December 2008 revision of the HIMIPref™ Indices

Values are provisional and are finalized monthly
Index Mean
Current
Yield
(at bid)
Median
YTW
Median
Average
Trading
Value
Median
Mod Dur
(YTW)
Issues Day’s Perf. Index Value
Ratchet 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 0.0000 % 1,666.5
FixedFloater 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 0.0000 % 3,044.4
Floater 4.93 % 4.71 % 91,231 16.03 4 0.0000 % 1,754.5
OpRet 4.84 % -0.85 % 45,539 0.12 1 0.3168 % 2,851.5
SplitShare 5.12 % 5.52 % 98,293 4.58 5 -0.2731 % 3,359.8
Interest-Bearing 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 -0.2731 % 2,621.5
Perpetual-Premium 5.48 % 1.59 % 83,597 0.28 12 0.1527 % 2,680.4
Perpetual-Discount 5.23 % 5.21 % 99,495 15.06 26 0.2963 % 2,829.5
FixedReset 5.02 % 4.37 % 153,164 7.16 88 0.9716 % 2,022.5
Deemed-Retractible 5.01 % 3.58 % 124,194 0.10 33 0.4141 % 2,763.8
FloatingReset 2.92 % 4.53 % 32,112 5.15 11 0.7112 % 2,130.7
Performance Highlights
Issue Index Change Notes
TD.PR.Z FloatingReset 1.01 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 22.10
Bid-YTW : 4.45 %
MFC.PR.B Deemed-Retractible 1.04 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 23.22
Bid-YTW : 5.81 %
TD.PR.T FloatingReset 1.10 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 22.07
Bid-YTW : 4.39 %
SLF.PR.D Deemed-Retractible 1.13 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 22.30
Bid-YTW : 6.17 %
CM.PR.P FixedReset 1.14 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 18.56
Evaluated at bid price : 18.56
Bid-YTW : 4.13 %
BAM.PR.Z FixedReset 1.15 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 19.40
Evaluated at bid price : 19.40
Bid-YTW : 4.84 %
BNS.PR.Q FixedReset 1.15 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 23.66
Bid-YTW : 3.97 %
TRP.PR.A FixedReset 1.16 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 14.78
Evaluated at bid price : 14.78
Bid-YTW : 4.62 %
CM.PR.O FixedReset 1.18 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 18.92
Evaluated at bid price : 18.92
Bid-YTW : 4.15 %
RY.PR.I FixedReset 1.18 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.01
Bid-YTW : 3.96 %
SLF.PR.A Deemed-Retractible 1.18 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 23.92
Bid-YTW : 5.46 %
HSE.PR.E FixedReset 1.19 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 19.62
Evaluated at bid price : 19.62
Bid-YTW : 5.52 %
BAM.PF.B FixedReset 1.19 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 17.89
Evaluated at bid price : 17.89
Bid-YTW : 4.84 %
TD.PF.C FixedReset 1.20 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 18.60
Evaluated at bid price : 18.60
Bid-YTW : 4.12 %
TRP.PR.H FloatingReset 1.21 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 10.05
Evaluated at bid price : 10.05
Bid-YTW : 4.39 %
BMO.PR.M FixedReset 1.23 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 23.80
Bid-YTW : 3.81 %
IFC.PR.A FixedReset 1.26 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 15.25
Bid-YTW : 9.70 %
RY.PR.H FixedReset 1.29 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 18.90
Evaluated at bid price : 18.90
Bid-YTW : 4.12 %
HSE.PR.C FixedReset 1.29 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 18.03
Evaluated at bid price : 18.03
Bid-YTW : 5.51 %
SLF.PR.E Deemed-Retractible 1.31 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 22.50
Bid-YTW : 6.09 %
MFC.PR.H FixedReset 1.34 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 22.01
Bid-YTW : 5.71 %
TRP.PR.D FixedReset 1.35 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 17.97
Evaluated at bid price : 17.97
Bid-YTW : 4.43 %
TRP.PR.C FixedReset 1.36 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 12.63
Evaluated at bid price : 12.63
Bid-YTW : 4.39 %
TD.PF.B FixedReset 1.42 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 18.62
Evaluated at bid price : 18.62
Bid-YTW : 4.12 %
BAM.PF.F FixedReset 1.44 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 19.76
Evaluated at bid price : 19.76
Bid-YTW : 4.70 %
BMO.PR.T FixedReset 1.45 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 18.92
Evaluated at bid price : 18.92
Bid-YTW : 4.10 %
TD.PF.D FixedReset 1.46 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 20.22
Evaluated at bid price : 20.22
Bid-YTW : 4.31 %
BAM.PR.X FixedReset 1.46 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 13.89
Evaluated at bid price : 13.89
Bid-YTW : 4.63 %
HSE.PR.G FixedReset 1.49 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 19.76
Evaluated at bid price : 19.76
Bid-YTW : 5.46 %
NA.PR.W FixedReset 1.49 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 17.71
Evaluated at bid price : 17.71
Bid-YTW : 4.36 %
RY.PR.Z FixedReset 1.49 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 19.05
Evaluated at bid price : 19.05
Bid-YTW : 4.04 %
BAM.PF.G FixedReset 1.51 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 20.20
Evaluated at bid price : 20.20
Bid-YTW : 4.63 %
TD.PF.A FixedReset 1.56 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 18.89
Evaluated at bid price : 18.89
Bid-YTW : 4.06 %
BAM.PF.A FixedReset 1.57 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 19.35
Evaluated at bid price : 19.35
Bid-YTW : 4.78 %
MFC.PR.G FixedReset 1.61 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 19.62
Bid-YTW : 7.07 %
TD.PF.E FixedReset 1.61 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 20.84
Evaluated at bid price : 20.84
Bid-YTW : 4.29 %
RY.PR.M FixedReset 1.63 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 19.95
Evaluated at bid price : 19.95
Bid-YTW : 4.25 %
SLF.PR.B Deemed-Retractible 1.64 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.19
Bid-YTW : 5.35 %
BMO.PR.S FixedReset 1.68 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 19.32
Evaluated at bid price : 19.32
Bid-YTW : 4.11 %
MFC.PR.K FixedReset 1.73 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 17.67
Bid-YTW : 8.04 %
FTS.PR.G FixedReset 1.73 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 17.61
Evaluated at bid price : 17.61
Bid-YTW : 4.18 %
BMO.PR.W FixedReset 1.78 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 18.85
Evaluated at bid price : 18.85
Bid-YTW : 4.08 %
MFC.PR.N FixedReset 1.79 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 18.76
Bid-YTW : 7.45 %
VNR.PR.A FixedReset 1.91 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 18.15
Evaluated at bid price : 18.15
Bid-YTW : 4.87 %
MFC.PR.M FixedReset 1.94 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 18.91
Bid-YTW : 7.40 %
TRP.PR.E FixedReset 1.99 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 18.45
Evaluated at bid price : 18.45
Bid-YTW : 4.37 %
CU.PR.C FixedReset 2.00 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 17.30
Evaluated at bid price : 17.30
Bid-YTW : 4.53 %
RY.PR.J FixedReset 2.17 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 20.29
Evaluated at bid price : 20.29
Bid-YTW : 4.29 %
FTS.PR.K FixedReset 2.18 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 18.24
Evaluated at bid price : 18.24
Bid-YTW : 4.00 %
MFC.PR.J FixedReset 2.20 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 19.55
Bid-YTW : 6.93 %
TRP.PR.F FloatingReset 2.23 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 13.30
Evaluated at bid price : 13.30
Bid-YTW : 4.53 %
HSE.PR.A FixedReset 2.25 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 11.80
Evaluated at bid price : 11.80
Bid-YTW : 5.11 %
BAM.PR.T FixedReset 2.42 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 15.66
Evaluated at bid price : 15.66
Bid-YTW : 4.89 %
MFC.PR.I FixedReset 2.51 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 20.46
Bid-YTW : 6.54 %
FTS.PR.M FixedReset 2.57 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 19.92
Evaluated at bid price : 19.92
Bid-YTW : 4.20 %
BAM.PR.R FixedReset 2.84 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 15.94
Evaluated at bid price : 15.94
Bid-YTW : 4.70 %
Volume Highlights
Issue Index Shares
Traded
Notes
BNS.PR.M Deemed-Retractible 484,385 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-08-26
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.99
Bid-YTW : 3.58 %
RY.PR.Q FixedReset 121,428 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-05-24
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.88
Bid-YTW : 3.99 %
RY.PR.R FixedReset 90,134 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-08-24
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 27.15
Bid-YTW : 4.09 %
TRP.PR.J FixedReset 71,597 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-05-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.25
Bid-YTW : 4.55 %
BAM.PF.H FixedReset 59,996 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2020-12-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.30
Bid-YTW : 3.81 %
MFC.PR.O FixedReset 57,629 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-06-19
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.46
Bid-YTW : 4.41 %
There were 31 other index-included issues trading in excess of 10,000 shares.
Wide Spread Highlights
Issue Index Quote Data and Yield Notes
TRP.PR.H FloatingReset Quote: 10.05 – 10.95
Spot Rate : 0.9000
Average : 0.5659

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 10.05
Evaluated at bid price : 10.05
Bid-YTW : 4.39 %

MFC.PR.J FixedReset Quote: 19.55 – 20.12
Spot Rate : 0.5700
Average : 0.3323

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 19.55
Bid-YTW : 6.93 %

TRP.PR.B FixedReset Quote: 11.56 – 12.34
Spot Rate : 0.7800
Average : 0.5595

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-20
Maturity Price : 11.56
Evaluated at bid price : 11.56
Bid-YTW : 4.31 %

MFC.PR.L FixedReset Quote: 18.10 – 18.61
Spot Rate : 0.5100
Average : 0.3143

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 18.10
Bid-YTW : 7.82 %

SLF.PR.I FixedReset Quote: 18.43 – 19.00
Spot Rate : 0.5700
Average : 0.4200

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 18.43
Bid-YTW : 7.79 %

IAG.PR.G FixedReset Quote: 19.50 – 19.90
Spot Rate : 0.4000
Average : 0.2613

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 19.50
Bid-YTW : 7.15 %

CSE.PR.A: No Conversion

Wednesday, July 20th, 2016

Capstone Infrastructure Corporation has announced:

that none of its Cumulative 5-Year Rate Reset Preferred Shares, Series A (the “Series A shares”) will be converted into Cumulative Floating Rate Preferred Shares, Series B (the “Series B shares”).

On June 10, 2016, Capstone notified holders of Series A shares that they could elect to convert their Series A shares into Series B shares, subject to the terms and conditions of those shares. One such condition is that, following conversion, there be at least 1,000,000 Series B shares outstanding or else no Series A shares will be converted.

As of 5:00 p.m. (EST) on July 18, 2016, the end of the period during which holders of Series A shares could elect to convert their Series A shares into Series B shares, elections for conversion into Series B shares were received in respect of only 429,367 of the 3,000,000 outstanding Series A shares. As a result, the above condition is not satisfied and no Series A shares will be converted into Series B shares. All holders of Series A shares will continue to hold Series A shares.

As previously announced, for the five year period from and including July 31, 2016 to but excluding July 31, 2021, the fixed annual dividend rate for the Series A shares has been set at 3.271% per share, payable in equal quarterly amounts on the last day of each of the months of January, April, July and October if, as and when dividends are declared by the Board of Directors of Corporation.

I have previously reported on the extension of CSE.PR.A, the reset to 3.271% and recommended against conversion.

July 19, 2016

Wednesday, July 20th, 2016

The White House has published a study pooh-poohing the theory that student debt has begun to harm the economy:

The White House just released a big report on student debt that contains all the familiar horrors about for-profit schools, indebted dropouts and students defaulting on their loans. But it has an interesting conclusion: That growing stack of $1.3 trillion in student debt is helping, not hurting, the U.S. economy.

That conclusion is sure to rankle the many student advocates and special-interest groups—from real-estate agents to employers seeking new tax breaks for their young workers—that argue student debt is a big “drag” on the economy. (Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have each decried the rise in student debt.) But the 77-page report from the White House Council of Economic Advisers backs up its claim with numerous charts and studies from economists and academics.

The report itself, titled INVESTING IN HIGHER EDUCATION:
BENEFITS, CHALLENGES, AND THE STATE OF STUDENT DEBT
, rebuts my main concern:

The rise in student loan debt has created challenges for some borrowers with lower earnings, but has not been a major factor in the macroeconomy.

  • • Despite its steady rise over the past decade, aggregate student loan debt remains small relative to aggregate income. In 2015, total student loan debt was 9 percent of aggregate income, up from 3 percent in 2003. By itself this is considerably smaller than the rise in mortgage debt prior to the crisis and it has also been accompanied by a reduction in other forms of consumer debt.
  • • Additional student debt, as an investment in education, is associated with additional income, putting many households in a better position to buy homes or start businesses. By age 26, households with student debt are more likely to buy a house than those that did not attend college. By age 34, college attendees with and without student debt are equally likely to buy a home, and both much more likely than those without a college education. Research studies have found that conditional on a given education, higher student debt explains, at most, a small fraction of the decline in homeownership among younger households.
  • • At the same time, the increase in defaults on student loans as well as the increase in high-loan balances for low earners can be real concerns at the individual level, potentially leading to compromised credit and reduced home buying for some individuals.

My problem with the paper is that it concentrates on proving that post-secondary education is still worth-while, even if it involves taking on debt, which isn’t quite the problem I have focussed on. Debt+Degree is better than nothing, sure, but Degree is better than Debt+Degree! And the paper does admit that yes, there is a measureable effect on home ownership rates:

Work by Mezza et al. (2016) tries to identify the causal relationship and finds a larger, negative estimate of student debt on homeownership.31 Using only the variation in student loan debt due to differences in home-state tuition, they estimate that a 10 percent increase in student loan debt leads to a 1 to 2 percentage point decline in homeownership rates for the borrower. Their estimated effect of student loan debt on homeownership is larger than the Cooper and Wang (2014) or Houle and Berger (2015) studies. It is important to note that all of these studies focus on younger households, so it is possible that rising student loans have delayed but not reduced lifetime homeownership. In addition, these studies hold constant the level of education such that they focus only on the impact of debt, not on the education that the debt helped to fund, thereby excluding the positive boost to homeownership from increased education-related earnings.

As discussed on May 31, 2016 there is at least some reason to believe that student debt has harder-to-measure effects than the simple home-ownership binary:

A 2013 report by the think tank Demos found that student debt has a negative effect on income, by making borrowers more risk-averse and discouraging them from moving to another city or taking gambles on new jobs or launching a new business.

This paper, by Robert Hiltonsmith, titled At What Cost? How Student Debt Reduces Lifetime Wealth, was not addressed by the White House researchers.

There is also the underlying problem with student debt, that the ready availability of loans has caused tuition to skyrocket and that this additional revenue for the universities has not led to any meaningful increase in the quality of their product, but merely to an increase in the quantity of their administrators and the amount of marketing frills they offer (such as improved accommodation, meals, football stadiums, etc.).

So, while I appreciate the intervention of the White House in the issue, I do not consider their pronouncement to be the final words on this matter.

HIMIPref™ Preferred Indices
These values reflect the December 2008 revision of the HIMIPref™ Indices

Values are provisional and are finalized monthly
Index Mean
Current
Yield
(at bid)
Median
YTW
Median
Average
Trading
Value
Median
Mod Dur
(YTW)
Issues Day’s Perf. Index Value
Ratchet 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 -0.3418 % 1,666.5
FixedFloater 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 -0.3418 % 3,044.4
Floater 4.93 % 4.68 % 89,945 16.08 4 -0.3418 % 1,754.5
OpRet 4.85 % 1.86 % 45,617 0.12 1 -0.2765 % 2,842.5
SplitShare 5.11 % 5.50 % 97,164 2.32 5 0.1367 % 3,369.0
Interest-Bearing 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 0.1367 % 2,628.7
Perpetual-Premium 5.49 % -13.03 % 83,740 0.09 12 -0.0260 % 2,676.3
Perpetual-Discount 5.25 % 5.26 % 100,799 15.03 26 0.2646 % 2,821.1
FixedReset 5.07 % 4.39 % 153,270 7.17 88 0.1067 % 2,003.0
Deemed-Retractible 5.03 % 4.52 % 123,850 0.44 33 0.0099 % 2,752.4
FloatingReset 2.94 % 4.64 % 32,175 5.15 11 -0.0249 % 2,115.6
Performance Highlights
Issue Index Change Notes
BAM.PR.R FixedReset -1.46 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-19
Maturity Price : 15.50
Evaluated at bid price : 15.50
Bid-YTW : 4.83 %
GWO.PR.N FixedReset -1.04 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 14.25
Bid-YTW : 9.64 %
TRP.PR.B FixedReset -1.02 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-19
Maturity Price : 11.59
Evaluated at bid price : 11.59
Bid-YTW : 4.30 %
MFC.PR.J FixedReset 1.00 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 19.13
Bid-YTW : 7.24 %
HSE.PR.C FixedReset 1.14 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-19
Maturity Price : 17.80
Evaluated at bid price : 17.80
Bid-YTW : 5.59 %
IFC.PR.C FixedReset 1.47 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 17.90
Bid-YTW : 8.04 %
Volume Highlights
Issue Index Shares
Traded
Notes
NA.PR.A FixedReset 152,277 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-08-15
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.10
Bid-YTW : 4.57 %
FTS.PR.E OpRet 114,400 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Soft Maturity
Maturity Date : 2016-08-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.25
Bid-YTW : 1.86 %
IAG.PR.G FixedReset 71,872 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 19.45
Bid-YTW : 7.18 %
RY.PR.H FixedReset 68,204 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-19
Maturity Price : 18.66
Evaluated at bid price : 18.66
Bid-YTW : 4.18 %
CM.PR.P FixedReset 59,362 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-19
Maturity Price : 18.35
Evaluated at bid price : 18.35
Bid-YTW : 4.18 %
PWF.PR.G Perpetual-Premium 55,976 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-08-18
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.75
Bid-YTW : -29.96 %
There were 25 other index-included issues trading in excess of 10,000 shares.
Wide Spread Highlights
Issue Index Quote Data and Yield Notes
VNR.PR.A FixedReset Quote: 17.81 – 19.40
Spot Rate : 1.5900
Average : 1.0190

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-19
Maturity Price : 17.81
Evaluated at bid price : 17.81
Bid-YTW : 4.97 %

GWO.PR.L Deemed-Retractible Quote: 25.75 – 26.15
Spot Rate : 0.4000
Average : 0.2742

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-12-31
Maturity Price : 25.50
Evaluated at bid price : 25.75
Bid-YTW : 3.99 %

BNS.PR.G FixedReset Quote: 26.60 – 26.90
Spot Rate : 0.3000
Average : 0.1961

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-07-25
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.60
Bid-YTW : 4.08 %

BAM.PR.X FixedReset Quote: 13.69 – 13.97
Spot Rate : 0.2800
Average : 0.2175

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-19
Maturity Price : 13.69
Evaluated at bid price : 13.69
Bid-YTW : 4.70 %

SLF.PR.J FloatingReset Quote: 12.30 – 12.74
Spot Rate : 0.4400
Average : 0.3801

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 12.30
Bid-YTW : 11.36 %

POW.PR.C Perpetual-Premium Quote: 25.85 – 26.01
Spot Rate : 0.1600
Average : 0.1030

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-08-18
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.85
Bid-YTW : -31.40 %

BCE.PR.I / BCE.PR.J : Convert Or Hold?

Wednesday, July 20th, 2016

It will be recalled that BCE.PR.I will reset to 2.75% effective August 1.

Holders of BCE.PR.I have the option to convert to the RatchetRate issue, BCE.PR.J, which pays a percentage of Canada Prime on the par value of $25.00. The percentage is currently 100% and will not decline unless the trading price of BCE.PR.J rises above $25, which seems rather unlikely in the current environment. The deadline for notifying the company of the intent to convert is July 22, 2016; but note that this is a company deadline and that brokers will generally set their deadlines a day or two in advance, so there’s not much time to lose if you’re planning to convert! However, if you miss the brokerage deadline they’ll probably do it on a ‘best efforts’ basis if you grovel in a sufficiently entertaining fashion.

It will also be noted that holders of BCE.PR.J have the option of converting to BCE.PR.I. After the dust settled following the last Exchange Date five years ago, about 25% of the total was BCE.PR.J.

The most logical way to analyze the question of whether or not to convert is through the theory of Preferred Pairs, for which a calculator is available. Briefly, a Strong Pair is defined as a pair of securities that can be interconverted in the future (e.g., BCE.PR.I and BCE.PR.J, which will have another Exchange Date in five years). Since they will be interconvertible on this future date, it may be assumed that they will be priced identically on this date (if they aren’t then holders will simply convert en masse to the higher-priced issue). And since they will be priced identically on a given date in the future, any current difference in price must be offset by expectations of an equal and opposite value of dividends to be received in the interim. And since the dividend rate on one element of the pair is both fixed and known, the implied average rate of the other, floating rate, instrument can be determined. Finally, we say, we may compare these average rates and take a view regarding the actual future course of that rate relative to the implied rate, which will provide us with guidance on which element of the pair is likely to outperform the other until the next interconversion date, at which time the process will be repeated.

We can show the break-even rates for each FixedFloater / RatchetRate Strong Pair graphically by plotting the implied average Canada Prime rate against the next Exchange Date (which is the date to which the average will be calculated).

pairs_FF_160719
Click for Big

There’s a fair bit of scatter, but most pairs are within shouting distance of a 2.70% breakeven rate – that is, most pairs are priced such that the total return of the component issues will be equal if Canada Prime remains at 2.70% until the relevant Exchange Date.

Since credit quality of each element of the pair is equal to the other element, it should not make any difference whether the pair examined is investment-grade or junk, although we might expect greater variation of implied rates between junk issues on grounds of lower liquidity, and this is just what we see.

And, of course, since BCE.PR.I will reset to 2.75%, this is equivalent to saying the prices currently and the prices expected to be effective following the Exchange Date are roughly equal. I do not believe that any gains can be expected to be made, or losses expected to be avoided, by holding either issue.

However, on a looking forward basis, I find it more believable that the average Canada Prime over the next five years will exceed 2.70% than I find it to believe that the rate will average lower than current.

Therefore, I recommend that holders of BCE.PR.I convert to BCE.PR.J and that holders of BCE.PR.J continue to hold their shares.

Note that conversion rights are dependent upon at least one million shares of each series being outstanding after giving effect to holders’ instructions; e.g., if only 100,000 shares of BCE.PR.I will remain after all instructions are executed, then all BCE.PR.I will be converted and no BCE.PR.J will convert to BCE.PR.I. And the other way ’round, of course, if practically everybody wants to hold BCE.PR.I. However, this is relatively rare: all 51 Strong Pairs currently extant have some version of this condition and all but six have both series outstanding.

July 18, 2016

Monday, July 18th, 2016

So guess who’s financing your mortgage!

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce has become Canada’s first bank to benefit from Europe’s rush to debt with subzero yields.

CIBC sold €1.25-billion ($1.79-billion) worth of six-year covered bonds – with a yield of negative-0.009 per cent – on Monday. According to a person familiar with the transaction, investor demand was so strong that the value of orders roughly doubled the deal size.

Not only is CIBC the first Canadian bank to issue such debt at a negative rate, it is also the first non-European bank to do so. In March, Germany’s Berlin Hype was the first lender to borrow at negative rates, cashing in on a hunger for quality debt, coupled with Europe’s unique fixed-income markets.

At the start of this month, nearly $12-trillion (U.S.) worth of government debt carried negative yields. As CIBC’s latest foray into the market highlights, the phenomenon is now spreading to other types of bonds, as investors search for securities that pay at least a tiny yield – or cost less to own than sovereign bonds.

Update: Here is a link to a brief explanation of Covered Bonds

Wal-Mart is continuing its battle with Visa:

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. can no longer count Marlene Gosparini and her employer as regular customers in Thunder Bay after the world’s largest retailer stopped accepting Visa Inc. credit cards at its three stores in the Canadian city.

Wal-Mart prepared its Thunder Bay customers for the change in June when it posted a statement on its website. There were signs in stores leading up to the shift, and on Monday store greeters, employees and managers approached customers as they walked in to remind them of the change. Some cashiers even offered customers a chance to sign up for a Wal-Mart Mastercard.

Visa ran ads in Thunder Bay’s newspaper Monday offering cardholders a C$25 online gift card for making purchases of C$75 or more at Thunder Bay grocery stores.

Wal-Mart’s Canada unit, which pays more than C$100 million to accept credit cards annually, called the fees Visa charges “unacceptably high” in a June 11 statement on its website.

HIMIPref™ Preferred Indices
These values reflect the December 2008 revision of the HIMIPref™ Indices

Values are provisional and are finalized monthly
Index Mean
Current
Yield
(at bid)
Median
YTW
Median
Average
Trading
Value
Median
Mod Dur
(YTW)
Issues Day’s Perf. Index Value
Ratchet 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 0.3973 % 1,672.2
FixedFloater 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 0.3973 % 3,054.8
Floater 4.91 % 4.66 % 91,277 16.14 4 0.3973 % 1,760.5
OpRet 4.84 % -0.49 % 42,239 0.12 1 0.0791 % 2,850.4
SplitShare 5.12 % 5.52 % 98,621 2.32 5 0.0000 % 3,364.4
Interest-Bearing 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 0.0000 % 2,625.1
Perpetual-Premium 5.49 % -12.31 % 82,363 0.09 12 -0.0552 % 2,677.0
Perpetual-Discount 5.26 % 5.27 % 101,498 15.02 26 0.0763 % 2,813.7
FixedReset 5.07 % 4.39 % 149,974 7.17 88 0.0827 % 2,000.9
Deemed-Retractible 5.03 % 4.62 % 125,656 3.33 33 -0.1412 % 2,752.1
FloatingReset 2.94 % 4.69 % 32,774 5.15 11 -0.0447 % 2,116.1
Performance Highlights
Issue Index Change Notes
MFC.PR.K FixedReset -1.99 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 17.27
Bid-YTW : 8.37 %
MFC.PR.N FixedReset -1.24 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 18.37
Bid-YTW : 7.75 %
MFC.PR.M FixedReset -1.23 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 18.42
Bid-YTW : 7.78 %
SLF.PR.J FloatingReset -1.21 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 12.25
Bid-YTW : 11.42 %
MFC.PR.L FixedReset -1.21 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 17.98
Bid-YTW : 7.91 %
HSE.PR.E FixedReset -1.18 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-18
Maturity Price : 19.25
Evaluated at bid price : 19.25
Bid-YTW : 5.62 %
FTS.PR.H FixedReset -1.08 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-18
Maturity Price : 13.80
Evaluated at bid price : 13.80
Bid-YTW : 4.00 %
IAG.PR.A Deemed-Retractible -1.06 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 22.31
Bid-YTW : 6.32 %
VNR.PR.A FixedReset -1.06 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-18
Maturity Price : 17.70
Evaluated at bid price : 17.70
Bid-YTW : 5.00 %
GWO.PR.I Deemed-Retractible -1.02 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 22.28
Bid-YTW : 6.23 %
GWO.PR.N FixedReset 1.05 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 14.40
Bid-YTW : 9.49 %
TRP.PR.B FixedReset 1.21 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-18
Maturity Price : 11.71
Evaluated at bid price : 11.71
Bid-YTW : 4.25 %
HSE.PR.A FixedReset 1.23 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-18
Maturity Price : 11.54
Evaluated at bid price : 11.54
Bid-YTW : 5.22 %
BNS.PR.R FixedReset 1.32 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 23.88
Bid-YTW : 4.05 %
SLF.PR.H FixedReset 1.80 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 16.44
Bid-YTW : 8.63 %
Volume Highlights
Issue Index Shares
Traded
Notes
FTS.PR.J Perpetual-Discount 132,750 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-18
Maturity Price : 23.11
Evaluated at bid price : 23.52
Bid-YTW : 5.10 %
TRP.PR.J FixedReset 116,945 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-05-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.20
Bid-YTW : 4.59 %
BAM.PF.E FixedReset 74,000 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-18
Maturity Price : 18.76
Evaluated at bid price : 18.76
Bid-YTW : 4.64 %
BNS.PR.A FloatingReset 72,500 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 23.05
Bid-YTW : 3.99 %
PWF.PR.O Perpetual-Premium 58,897 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-10-31
Maturity Price : 25.50
Evaluated at bid price : 25.75
Bid-YTW : 1.56 %
FTS.PR.K FixedReset 46,145 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-18
Maturity Price : 17.91
Evaluated at bid price : 17.91
Bid-YTW : 4.07 %
There were 23 other index-included issues trading in excess of 10,000 shares.
Wide Spread Highlights
Issue Index Quote Data and Yield Notes
SLF.PR.J FloatingReset Quote: 12.25 – 12.76
Spot Rate : 0.5100
Average : 0.3143

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 12.25
Bid-YTW : 11.42 %

HSE.PR.A FixedReset Quote: 11.54 – 11.97
Spot Rate : 0.4300
Average : 0.2887

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-18
Maturity Price : 11.54
Evaluated at bid price : 11.54
Bid-YTW : 5.22 %

FTS.PR.J Perpetual-Discount Quote: 23.52 – 23.85
Spot Rate : 0.3300
Average : 0.2357

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-18
Maturity Price : 23.11
Evaluated at bid price : 23.52
Bid-YTW : 5.10 %

SLF.PR.I FixedReset Quote: 18.28 – 18.62
Spot Rate : 0.3400
Average : 0.2617

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 18.28
Bid-YTW : 7.90 %

CM.PR.Q FixedReset Quote: 19.95 – 20.28
Spot Rate : 0.3300
Average : 0.2546

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-18
Maturity Price : 19.95
Evaluated at bid price : 19.95
Bid-YTW : 4.37 %

TRP.PR.C FixedReset Quote: 12.50 – 12.79
Spot Rate : 0.2900
Average : 0.2147

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-07-18
Maturity Price : 12.50
Evaluated at bid price : 12.50
Bid-YTW : 4.43 %