INTERNATIONAL issuers this week continued to expand the range of central and eastern European currency instruments available to investors with the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development (EBRD) launching its fourth Russian rouble denominated Eurobond and Finland's Merita Bank issuing its second Latvian lats denominated offering. ING Barings and the EBRD continued their partnership in the rouble Eurobond sector with the launch of a Rb600m four year zero coupon offering. The transaction was both the first four year issue in the currency and the first to feature a zero coupon. It was priced to yield 31% on a fixed re-offer price of 33.96, equating to a pick-up of around 2,600bp over US Treasuries and 2,450bp over German Bunds. In mid-March the EBRD was the first issuer to launch an international bond denominated in roubles -- a Rb400m (increased from Rb300m) one year coupon bond -- and has since issued two and three year offerings. ING Barings has been the lead manager on each occasion.
May 08, 1998