Bond sales gain traction, jump 30% to $14.9 bn in Jan-Mar

Mumbai: India Inc continued to lap up debt in the January-March quarter, with proceeds touching $14.9 billion, a 29.9 percent jump from a year ago. This is the highest bond sale in the quarter under review since 2013 when companies had scooped up a whopping $21.4 billion in debt.[caption id=“attachment_2169845” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Rising debt. Reuters[/caption] Of the total pie, offshore US dollar-denominated bond market reached the $3.1 billion mark during the reporting period, a 52.6 percent increase from a year earlier. In terms of number of issuance, the same doubled, according to Thomson Reuters data. Reliance Industries led the pack with a 10-year US dollar bond, raising $990 million at 4.125 percent rate in January. A few weeks later, RIL raised $741.5 million more from a 30-year US-dollar bond sale. At $10.8 billion, the financial sector accounted for 72 percent market share during the quarter in question, a 34.5 percent jump in proceeds as against the first quarter of 2014. Out of the total the rupee bonds dominated the scene with Power Finance Corp. raising Rs 4,440 crore, Rural Electrification Corp. Rs 2,325 crore and Power Grid Corp. Rs 2,580 crore. In total the rupee-denominated bonds touched Rs 76,820 crore in the January-March quarter, up 33.3 percent compared to the same period last year when it had stood at Rs 57,630 crore. This is the highest first quarter period since 2013 when proceeds reached a record high of Rs 85,760 crore. The financials sector accounted for 77.4 percent of the rupee bonds market with Rs 59,470 crore, which was a 64 percent in increase from a year ago period when it had stood at Rs 36,260 crore. Issuance from energy & power firms with Rs 8,680 crore, increased 103.6 percent compared to the quarter last year, accounting for 11.3 percent of the market share. Axis Bank topped the ranking in underwriting, with related proceeds of $2.3 billion from 49 deals, accounting for 15.3 percent market share. However, in terms of fees, Citi took the lead with $3.4 million of the total fees of $23.1 million, which rose 87.3 percent year-on-year. PTI