Swiss Bond Market Eyes Blowout Sales Boosted by Alphabet’s Debut

Corporate bond sales in Swiss francs could top 25 billion this year, far beyond the market’s normal volumes if the haven currency’s low interest rates spur more international borrowers to follow Google parent Alphabet Inc. in to the market.

US technology giant Alphabet raised almost $32 billion in a one-day debt frenzy earlier this month that spanned dollar, Swiss franc and sterling debt, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The sales in the latter two currencies were the biggest-ever in those markets and the five-tranche, 3.055 billion Swiss franc ($3.95 billion) transaction has pushed year-to-date sales in the currency to the highest in at least a decade, the data show.