Government revealed that it has placed another foreign currency bond on the international markets – this time to raise $225 million – which will bring its U.S. dollar borrowing to more than $800 million.
The government revealed in a statement from the Ministry of Finance (MOF) yesterday that the bond placement was oversubscribed and commanded a yield of 8 percent.
This brings the government’s net borrowing for fiscal year 2020/2021 to more that $1 billion since the start of the budget year in July.
“Less than two months since the US$600 million international capital market transaction and with the market responding positively to the prospect of a reopening Bahamian economy, the government was able to take advantage of a significant rally witnessed in the 2032 notes, to successfully launch a US$225 million reopening of these notes,” the MOF statement revealed.
“The transaction was well received by the market. The order book was multiple times oversubscribed, with more than 75 global investors participating in the final transaction.
“Underscoring the markets’ strong and growing interest in The Bahamas’ credit, the reopening exercise priced at a yield of 8 percent—125 basis points less than the 9.25 percent obtained in the October 2020 transaction. The notes priced above par, at 106.783%, thereby generating gross proceeds of approximately $240.3 million for the government (excluding accrued and unpaid interest), compared with the $225 million value of the notes.”
The MOF stated that the bond carries an interest rate of 8.95 percent per annum, payable semi-annually in arrears and with principal amortization payable in three equal annual installments, commencing on October 15, 2030 and a final maturity date of October 15, 2032.
The government stated it intends to establish a sinking fund to manage the repayment of its foreign currency debt.
The government has pegged its borrowing requirements for this fiscal year at more than $1.3 billion. The statement noted that this latest U.S. currency borrowing is within that budgeted figure.
International credit rating agency Moody’s said in October that it expects the government’s gross borrowing requirements will likely hit $2 billion as the fiscal deficit widens to 11 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).
Moody’s, in its latest report on The Bahamas, stated it expects the government to source $700 million from multilateral lenders and about $700 million in the domestic environment.
A glimpse of the government’s most recent bond offering synopsis reveals that this bond carries a high coupon of 8.95 percent, similar to that of the $600 million bond government closed on in October.
In July, the government borrowed $140 million from The Central Bank of The Bahamas and has already repaid $30 million. In August the government drew down a $248 million bridge facility from global investors, which it has also already repaid using funds secured from the recent $600 million bond that was transacted last week.
Also in August, the government concluded a $200 million policy loan with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), which it drew down on September 9, shortly before the Caribbean Development Bank approved a $40 million policy loan.
Shadow Minister of Finance Chester Cooper said in a statement yesterday that the government did not communicate its intention to once again raise money in the US markets.
“I note that the government of The Bahamas today listed a $225 million bond offering at 8.95 percent in US financial markets, which ultimately drew a rate in the region of 8.25 percent,” Cooper said.
“We note that there was nothing previously communicated about the government’s intent to do this. This would bring the total borrowed from US financial markets to more than $800 million in six weeks.
“We are, of course, well past $1 billion in net borrowing so far this fiscal year. The projected borrowing for the entire year was $1.3 billion.”
Like Moody’s, Cooper contends government will likely shoot past its budgeted borrowing figure this fiscal year and urged the government to reveal its full borrowing plan.
“We are certain to exceed that number at this current clip as we also borrowing locally,” he said.
“The public deserves to know how much money the government intends to source from international markets and what total borrowing is expected to actually be. We note that there was no communication on this matter in Parliament today.
“I call on the minister of finance to disclose the details of the latest bond offering in Parliament, so the public can be clear on what its government is obligating it to in the interest of transparency and accountability,” said Cooper.
The post Govt places another foreign currency bond appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.
source https://thenassauguardian.com/govt-places-another-foreign-currency-bond/
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