Standard Chartered issues $1.25-B bond

MANILA, Philippines - Standard Chartered Plc has launched and priced a $1.25-billion Tier 2, 10-year bond. The tight pricing achieved with the book covered more than seven times. The issue is callable after five years and was allocated among a very diverse investor base, including private banks (39.6 percent), insurances companies (7.2 percent), asset managers (23.5 percent) and banks (22.8 percent), with good geographic spread across Asia and Europe. Standard Chartered said that it remains firmly ‘open for business’, and the dollar issue will support the bank’s existing customers and clients by deploying its balance sheet strength. “Unlike other banks, which are de-leveraging, we are actively deploying our capital in support of our customers,” it added. The bank successfully accessed the debt markets in a variety of tenors and currencies – including US dollar, euros and Singapore dollars – over the last 12 months.