NSB’s $ 1 b global bond likely to be sold by end June

Reuters: State-owned National Savings Bank (NSB) is likely to sell up to $ 1 billion of global bonds by the end of this month, officials said on Friday, the biggest corporate bond issue so far.

The bank’s decision to tap the international market comes as the Government itself has decided not to go for an international sovereign bond this year after selling euro bonds for three consecutive years.

“We have given the clearance. Our maximum limit is $ 1 billion. We will see the rate and decide it,” Deputy Treasury Secretary S.R. Attygalle told Reuters.

Three sources with knowledge of the deal said the proposed paper will be a 10-year bond. “Since yield on US Treasury is on the rise, the bond might be priced at a higher rate,” one source said.

HSBC, Citibank NA and Barclays will be the lead managers for NSB’s international bond sale, sources told Reuters in March.

The last major corporate issue was in 2012 when State-owned Bank of Ceylon sold a $ 500 million five-year bond at a 6.875% yield.

NSB is the only bank whose deposits are fully guaranteed by the Government.

The bank’s investments in Government securities accounted for 72% of its total deposits of Rs. 422.06 billion ($ 3.31 billion) as of 30 September 2012.