ARDAL: Slovakia Borrows €643 million in March Government Bond Auction

Bratislava, 16 March (TASR) - Slovakia borrowed €643 million in the regular monthly government bond auction in March, with the average yield ranging from 3.05 percent p.a. to 4.24 percent p.a. and total demand from investors reaching €839 million, the Debt and Liquidity Management Agency (ARDAL) announced on Monday. Slovakia obtained the highest sum (€213 million) from a sale of bonds with a maturity date in 2036. The average accepted yield on maturity stood at 3.71 percent p.a. Another auction of bonds maturing in 2037 brought in an additional €172 million, with the average accepted yield amounting to 3.84 percent p.a. Bonds with the shortest and longest maturities - in 2031 and 2043, respectively - raised the same amount of €129 million. Their average interest rates were 3.05 percent and 4.24 percent, respectively. In February, Slovakia sold government bonds worth €593 million, with the average yield ranging between 2.8 percent p.a. and 4.6 percent p.a., while total demand from investors reached €1.241 billion. The total demand from investors last month exceeded €2.2 billion. Last month, Slovakia also issued a new tranche of 20-year government bonds via a syndicated sale, i.e., through a group of banks. It sold securities worth €2 billion with a coupon rate of 4.125 percent per annum, with investor demand reaching €8.6 billion. ARDAL is also selling in March a new issue of two bonds intended for ordinary citizens through commercial banks. The total amount can reach €500 million. For the entire year, ARDAL plans to issue new government bonds totalling €10 billion. am/df