The creation of the Alternative Fixed Income Market ("MARF") at the end of 2013 met the needs of a large number of companies, particularly small and medium-sized businesses, enabling them to obtain the funds they could not reach through traditional channels. Financial institutions and other operators are now more predisposed to lend to the business sector, although it is a well-known fact that Spanish businesses rely heavily on credit. MARF offers companies a new funding channel to enable them to diversify, guarantee liquidity and give a boost to their capacity for growth and expansion.
The service is addressed towards the company's General Management, Finance Department and main shareholders.
MARF provides companies with a competitive platform to issue fixed-income securities, since the terms of access to the market are flexible, with fast processes and low costs.
MARF allows companies to issue fixed-income securities which had previously only been available to large corporations with substantial funding requirements. Companies using MARF have access to public fixed-income markets, enabling them to secure funds through short-term assets and commercial paper to finance their working capital or, in the medium/long term, bonds and debentures for assets with longer maturities, with lower volumes and therefore much more easily.
MARF avails itself of the Bolsas y Mercados Españoles Group's long experience in devising, developing and administering finance markets, the tried and tested technology BME uses in its systems, and staff with wide experience in fixed-income markets geared towards results. All these capacities are available to companies to assist them in gaining access to capital markets.