Saudi Arabia
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Market participants have high expectations for Middle East bond issuance in the first quarter of the year. So far, a range of issuers from across the credit spectrum have entered markets, despite global market volatility. -
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Saudi Arabia’s National Commercial Bank sold an additional tier one bond this week. Some see the trade from the kingdom’s largest financial institution as a prelude to a bond sale by the sovereign, which could happen next week.
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Saudi Arabia’s National Commercial Bank (NCB), the largest financial institution in the kingdom, has mandated banks to arrange a tier one dollar sukuk. The deal may act as a prelude to a potential bond sale by the sovereign, which bankers say could happen as early as this week.
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Saudi Arabia has secured an export financing agreement with Korea’s export credit agency and trade insurance corporation. The deal, which will bolster trade between the two, is the kingdom’s second ECA-backed deal.
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The world's largest oil company, Saudi Aramco, on Tuesday raised an $8bn multi-tranche bond, featuring a rare 50 year piece, in only its second entry into debt capital markets. Proceeds from the deal will help it to generate enough cash to fund a dividend of $75bn as oil prices remain under pressure.
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Saudi Aramco, which made its debut in bond markets last year, has mandated banks to arrange a dollar offering, including a 50 year tranche — a maturity only issued once before by a Gulf borrower. According to market players, this is an opportunistic move to grab cash before year-end taking advantage of yield-hungry investors.
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Crédit Agricole has sold a 4% share stake in Banque Saudi Fransi (BSF) to two unnamed investors for around €330m, ending an association which dates back to 1977.
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The volume of sukuk issues — bonds structured in line with Islamic financing principles — is set to decline this year, despite the market’s best attempts to diversify and become more sustainability-focused.
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Ignitis Grupe, the state-owned Lithuanian energy and utility company, has opened books on its IPO on the Nasdaq Vilinus and London Stock Exchange. The company’s listing will benefit from a framework agreement signed with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, under which it will participate in the IPO.
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