Singapore bond issues up 24.3% in 2014

Singapore bond issues up 24.3% in 2014

Financial data provider Thomson Reuters estimates that Singapore-based firms raised US$24.6 billion via primary bond offerings this year - the highest annual figure since 2012 when issuances hit a record level of US$31.5 billion.

SINGAPORE: Primary bond offerings by Singapore-domiciled issuers rose 24.3 per cent in 2014, as the banks took advantage of continued low interest rates to lock in funding from both the domestic and foreign bond markets.

Financial data provider Thomson Reuters estimates that Singapore-based firms raised US$24.6 billion via primary bond offerings this year - the highest annual figure since 2012 when issuances hit a record level of US$31.5 billion.

The year's largest bond issue was the issue of US$1.25 billion worth of medium-term notes by DBS in July, which comprised of a US$750 million fixed rate senior note and a US$500 million floating rate senior note - both due in 2019. The offshore deal pushed total proceeds raised by the financial sector to US$12.8 billion, an increase of 112.5 per cent from last year.

Thomson Reuters said there was a marked slowdown in fund raising via the bond market during the fourth quarter as funds raised during the three-month period dropped to US$3.4 billion - down 63 per cent from the third quarter and a drop of 7.3 per cent from the fourth quarter of 2013.

DBS Group was the top underwriter for Singapore-issued bonds, with an estimated market share of 20.2 per cent. HSBC was second with 12 per cent share, while OCBC was third with 10.2 per cent.

- CNA/ac