Bulgaria FIBank Launches Eurobond Issue

Bulgaria's First Investment Bank issued EUR 200 M of bonds with a three-year maturity in a sale managed by ABN Amro and Dresdner Kleinword Wasserstein. The bonds' interest coupon is 7.5% and profitability of 7.7% per year. An order book of around EUR 1.1 B has been generated from 135 different investors, including major European investment institutions. A total of 28% of the investors comes from Great Britain, 13% from Switzerland, 11% - France, 10% - Germany and Austria. Funds account for 42% of the investors, banks - 35%, and private banks - 18%. The yields from the deal will finance the bank's assets and liabilities balance. Investors were impressed with the management team and their strategy for the bank, says Mike Elliff, Managing Director, Head of CEEMEA Debt Capital Markets, ABN Amro. ABN Amro have organised a week of investor meetings in all the key European financial centres for the management of FIBank.