Abbey National has hired JP Morgan Chase & Co and Barclays Capital to manage its next sale of bonds backed by the lender’s mortgages. The bank is rumoured to be releasing £2bn worth of bonds in the second quarter of this year, denominated in dollars, euros, Swiss francs and sterling, but is refusing to release exact details. Abbey National has so far raised £21.6bn through securitising its mortgage debt, the last five issues through Schroder Salomon Smith Barney.