China mandates 14 banks for US$4b US dollar bond issuance

Moodys said on Monday it has rated the proposed issuance as A1, its highest ranking, with a stable outlook.

HONG KONG: China has mandated 14 banks for the planned issuance of dollar-denominated, multi-tranche bonds, subject to market conditions, according to a term sheet seen by Reuters on Monday.

The deal will raise about $4 billion, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the matter.

The sources could not be identified as the information had not yet been made public.

The Ministry of Finance, which is issuing the bond, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

The banks working on the deal., which included Bank of China, Bank of America, Citigroup, China Construction Bank, Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs, will arrange a series of investor conference calls starting Oct. 18, the term sheet showed.

The deal is classified as a 144A and Reg S offering, which means U.S.-based investors can buy in.

Reg S bonds may not be offered, sold or delivered within the United States, whereas 144A offerings are U.S. private placements for U.S. investors. China’s previous international sovereign bond sales have all been Reg S offering.

China last raised $6 billion in a U.S. dollar denominated bonds in October 2020, which was the first time U.S. based investors could participate in the deal.

Moodys said on Monday it has rated the proposed issuance as A1, its highest ranking, with a stable outlook. - Reuters