Tuesday, November 10, 2009 8:36 AM
Ontario launches bond blitz
Andrew Willis
Ontario is rushing to get a massive U.S. dollar-denominated bond financing done ahead of the Remembrance Day holiday.
Facing something in the neighbourhood of $18-billion of borrowing requirements in coming months to fund deficit spending, Ontario gave four investment dealers a mandate to sell a new three year bond issue late Monday.
Barclay’s Capital, Credit Suisse, J.P. Morgan and TD Securities are attempting to sell what one analyst described as a “benchmark-sized” issue ahead of an early closing for the bond market - desks are scheduled to shut down after lunch hour Tuesday. Traditionally, a benchmark U.S. dollar-denominated financing for Ontario would be more than $1-billion (U.S.)