In order to support the business development of the Desjardins Group, its treasurer, Caisse centrale Desjardins, has just proceeded with a debt issue of 500 million euros on the European institutional markets.

“This issue equivalent of more than $700 million was a significant success,” said Jean-Guy Langelier, president and COO of Caisse centrale Desjardins and chief of the Treasury of Desjardins Group”. “European institutional investors’ reception very well reflects the financial solidity of the Desjardins Group”, concluded Langelier.

Orders originated from almost 80 investors in 15 countries.

Another distinctive aspect of the issue is that for the first time for Desjardins, it was achieved with three financial cooperative groups as joint lead managers. They are Calyon of the Groupe Crédit Agricole (France), DZ Bank AG(Germany) et Natexis Banques Populaires (France); each of these three financial groups total assets of more than $400 billion (Cdn.).