PARIS OLYMPIC GAMES
The Federal Government has successfully raised N346.155 billion at its November 2024 bond auction, conducted by the Debt Management Office (DMO) on November 18, 2024.
The auction featured reopenings of the 19.30% FGN APR 2029 (5-Year Bond) and the 18.50% FGN FEB 2031 (7-Year Bond).
Despite a 33.33% reduction in the total amount offered compared to October, total allotments rose significantly by 19.50% to N346.155 billion from N289.597 billion.
The DMO placed N60 billion on offer for each bond, a drop from N90 billion in October.
For the five-year bond, N63.530 billion was allotted, while the seven-year bond recorded an allotment of N282.625 billion. In contrast, the October auction allotted N57.237 billion and N232.360 billion for the five-year and seven-year bonds, respectively.
The total amount offered at the auction was N120 billion, evenly split at N60 billion for each bond series. However, investor interest far exceeded expectations, with total bids amounting to N369.585 billion—a 208% subscription rate.
This oversubscription highlights the market’s appetite for fixed-income instruments amid evolving macroeconomic conditions.
The Federal Government also incorporated a non-competitive allotment in the November 2024 bond auction, exclusively applied to the 19.30% FGN APR 2029 (5-Year Bond).
This feature enables retail investors and smaller-scale participants to access government securities at the same marginal rate determined during the auction without competing directly on marginal rates.
Marginal rates increased in November, reflecting tightening liquidity conditions. The 5-year bond’s marginal rate rose to 21.00% from 20.75% in October, while the 7-year bond’s rate increased to 22.00% from 21.74%.
Bid ranges in November also highlighted robust investor competition, with the 5-Year Bond receiving bids between 19.00% and 21.90%, and the 7-Year Bond bids ranging from 18.00% to 23.00%.
The November auction results indicate a preference for longer-duration instruments, likely due to expectations of sustained high interest rates in the medium term.
The sharp contrast between the amounts subscribed and allotted suggests the DMO’s strategic allocation to balance government financing needs with market stability.
The successful bond auction demonstrates the government’s ability to attract significant investor interest despite market adjustments.
However, the sustained rise in borrowing costs could impact fiscal dynamics, necessitating careful fund allocation to critical sectors.
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