UAE to Hold Second Auction of Dirham T-Bonds Worth $408Mln

The UAE will continue to implement its plan to issue local bonds for 2022 through more subsequent periodic auctions. (WAM)
The UAE will continue to implement its plan to issue local bonds for 2022 through more subsequent periodic auctions. (WAM)
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UAE to Hold Second Auction of Dirham T-Bonds Worth $408Mln

The UAE will continue to implement its plan to issue local bonds for 2022 through more subsequent periodic auctions. (WAM)
The UAE will continue to implement its plan to issue local bonds for 2022 through more subsequent periodic auctions. (WAM)

The UAE Finance Ministry said Saturday that a second auction of federal treasury bonds (T-Bonds) would be held on June 20.

The auction size will be AED1.5 billion ($408 million) distributed over two tranches: a two-year tranche valued at AED 750 million and a three-year tranche valued at AED750 million ($204 million).

It explained that the re-opening of bonds will be exercised in this auction to increase the volume of individual bonds issued with the aim of improving liquidity in the secondary market.

The first auction of the AED denominated T-Bonds program witnessed a wide turnout from local and international investors, with a total issuance of AED1.5 billion ($408.3 million) divided into two tranches - of two and three years – and a uniform coupon rate fixed at 3.01% and 3.24%, respectively.

The UAE will continue to implement its plan to issue local bonds for 2022 through more subsequent periodic auctions.

The conventional T-bonds will be denominated in UAE dirhams to develop the local bonds debt market.

It aims to develop the mid-term yield curve, with tranches of two and three years, and in principle of five years as well, while 10-year tranches will be issued at a later time.

The auction, represented by the Ministry of Finance as the issuer, in collaboration with the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) as the issuing and payment agent, is part of the AED9 billion ($2.4 billion) T-Bonds issuance program for 2022, the ministry announced in May.

The first auction of the dirham denominated UAE T-Bonds, with a benchmark auction size of AED1.5 billion ($400 million), drew bids worth AED9.4 billion ($2.5 billion), an oversubscription of 6.3 times.

Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, said then that the success of the first auction is part of strengthening the UAE’s economic competitiveness and supporting the sustainability of economic growth.



World Bank Redirects Funds Towards Lebanon Emergency Aid

Flames rise from Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
Flames rise from Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
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World Bank Redirects Funds Towards Lebanon Emergency Aid

Flames rise from Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
Flames rise from Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

The World Bank announced on Thursday that it was redirecting funds originally earmarked for development programs in Lebanon towards emergency aid for people displaced by Israeli bombardment of the country.

"The World Bank is activating emergency response plans to be able to repurpose resources in the portfolio to respond to the urgent needs of people in Lebanon," said a statement from the US-based multilateral institution.

The multilateral institution currently has $1.5 billion in funding for programs in Lebanon. Part of this amount will be redirected.

Since September 23, more than 1,000 people have been killed in an Israeli air-and-ground campaign on Lebanon that has targeted armed group Hezbollah in the south and east of the country, with strikes expanding to include the capital Beirut.

Thousands have been displaced since the bombing began, and the funds would be used to provide aid to those populations, the World Bank said.

"This would include emergency support to displaced people that could be deployed through a digital platform the World Bank helped put in place during the Covid epidemic," the statement said.