The European Investment Bank EIB didnt wait long to get the Hong Kong bond market moving in 2001, issuing HK$2.5 billion $320 million within minutes of the market opening on January 2 to make it the first deal of the year. The transaction, lead managed by HSBC, was originally sized at HK$2 billion, but later increased by HK$500 million due to strong demand.
The five-year notes were priced at 101.63%, paying a yearly coupon of 6.38%. The bonds were sold to local investors, mainly placed within the treasury and trust departments of banks. The deal became the first of the new millennium depending on your definition of millennium,...
