Today the Republic of Iceland issued bonds in the amount of 500 million euros, the equivalent of ISK 76bn. The bonds bear fixed interest of 0.625% and have a 6-year maturity, offering investors a yield of 0.667%.
Investors showed keen interest, with demand totalling EUR 3.4 bn, or nearly seven times the size of the issue. The investor group comprises central banks and other institutional investors, mainly from Europe. Joint lead managers for the transaction were Citi, JP Morgan, and Morgan Stanley.
“This issue confirms the Republic’s open access to global capital markets and demonstrates investors’ confidence in the resilience Iceland has built up in recent years. It enhances our capacity to address the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic and reflects our strength and our ability to overcome the economic implications,” said Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Bjarni Benediktsson.
During the book building process, the terms improved by some 30 basis points as demand exceeded expectation, resulting in a mere 5bp new issue premium. Almost 200 investors placed orders, almost twice as many as in the Treasury’s last bond issue in 2019.
“This issue is in line with the Treasury’s debt management strategy. It will facilitate other domestic borrowers’ access to foreign credit markets and confirms that the Republic of Iceland has ready access to a large and diverse group of investors. The markets have been lively in the recent term, as many governments are in the same position, attempting to secure long-term financing,” said Bjarni Benediktsson.