Carrefour, the world's second largest supermarket operator, has enjoyed a robust reception for its inaugural sterling-denominated bond at a time when the euro-denominated market is afflicted by underperformance and malaise.

Strong appetite among the UK investor base enabled Carrefour to launch its £500m (€795.3m) 10-year bond, which was lead managed by Morgan Stanley and UBS Warburg, on Tuesday after a shorter-than-expected roadshow that comprised a day in London and a further half-day in Scotland.