News, details on corporate bond issues in the European markets on Thursday:

SAFRAN (SAF.PA)

Issue: the French aerospace and defence group has set the size of a inaugural five-year Eurobond at 750 million euros ($1.1 billion), said an official at one of the banks managing the sale.

Guidance: mid-swaps plus 130 basis points

Managing banks: BNP Paribas, Calyon, Royal Bank of Scotland and Societe Generale.

Ratings: unrated

SKIPTON BUILDING SOCIETY (SKI_p.L)

Mandate: Skipton Building Society plans a UK-guaranteed 2012 senior sterling benchmark bond, reported IFR Markets, a Thomson Reuters online news and market analysis service.

Guidance: mid-swaps plus 10 basis points area

Managing banks: HSBC, JP Morgan, Royal Bank of Scotland

Royal Bank of Scotland Investment BNP Paribas