Bahrain

Nogaholding sold its $1bn dual tranche bond on Wednesday from a book of around $2.5bn, demonstrating Bahrain borrowers’ access to the bond markets after the country’s bailout from its Gulf Co-operation Council neighbours in October.

Bahrain’s Oil and Gas Holding Company (Nogaholding) has released initial price guidance for a dual tranche six year and 10 year bond issue. An investor said he was expecting minimal tightening before pricing.

Bahrain’s Oil and Gas Holding Company (Nogaholding) is expected to open books on a dual tranche dollar bond as soon as Wednesday, in the country’s first test of debt markets since the government received $10bn in support from its neighbours.

Gulf International Bank has cancelled a five year dollar bond that it began roadshowing at the end of September.

Gulf International Bank (GIB) has picked banks for a five year dollar benchmark, joining the stream of high quality issuance from Middle Eastern borrowers.

Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) is working to get the final part of its second export credit agency-backed loan by the end of this quarter. The deal will wrap up the multibillion dollar-equivalent financing for one of the largest brownfield projects in the Middle East.

Bahraini sovereign bonds fell victim to “malicious rumours” this week after they took a further battering following headlines that Lazard had been appointed as an adviser to the country. The firm, which advises on debt restructuring among other things, was in fact appointed in early May and has been advising the country on its economy for several months, according to a source with knowledge of the matter. Virginia Furness and Michael Turner report.

Bahrain is no closer to accessing the capital markets for additional funding following its support package from its Gulf neighbours agreed last week, according to local investors. And nor is the appointment of Lazard as an advisor to the country seen as a precursor to debt restructuring.

A new wave of liquidity and price crunching could hit Bahrain’s loan market once details of the country’s bailout from its GCC neighbours emerge, according to lenders from the region.

The Kingdom of Bahrain’s five year CDS spread has plummeted as investors’ fears of the country’s inability to meet the repayment of its $750m November 2018 sukuk began to recede after a statement of support from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

Bahrain’s Oil and Gas Holding Company (Nogaholding), which is 100% state owned, is looking for seven year funding.

The Kingdom of Bahrain was set to print a $1bn 7.5 year sukuk on Wednesday evening from a book of $2.2bn, with leads having managed to crunch the coupon to 6.875%. Rivals had called the guidance for the note “a new record” high for a new issue premium, but leads said the illiquidity of the sukuk curve rendered the concept of new issue premium almost meaningless.