Kuwait prices $8 bln international bond offering

Kuwait said it has successfully priced its $8 billion debut international bond offering as it seeks foreign investors to help plug its budget deficit in an era of low oil prices.

The country has priced $3.5 billion in five-year notes with a yield of 2.8 percent and a spread of 75 basis points, and $4.5 billion in 10-year notes, according to an official statement.

The bonds were oversubscribed with 778 investor orders totaling over $29 billion, with demand from both international and regional investors, it added.

Citigroup, HSBC and J.P. Morgan acted as Global Coordinators for the transaction, and Citigroup, Deutsche Bank HSBC, J.P. Morgan, while NBK Capital and Standard Chartered Bank acted as Joint Lead Managers and Joint Bookrunners, the statement said.

“This transaction will introduce further diversification to the State’s sources of funding, and establishes a liquid benchmark for Kuwait in the international debt markets,” said Anas Alsaleh, Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Finance of Kuwait.