By John Lee. UAE-based venture capital fund EQIQ has announced a $3-million anchor investment in a new digital banking startup led by Iraqi-American finance veteran Hussain Qaragholi (pictured). The total $15-million funding round will support the launch and early growth of the next-generation, AI-driven platform. The new venture aims to transform Iraq's underdeveloped banking sector […]
By John Lee. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani chaired a meeting to follow up on the Baghdad Metro project, announcing the selection of the Vaskhod & Wontert Capital international consortium for the design, implementation, operation, maintenance, financing, and transfer of ownership (DBOMFT) of the metro. According to a statement from the Prime Minister's office, […]
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, is investing in Basrah Gas Company (BGC) to support one of the largest gas flaring reduction projects in the world, helping to improve energy access, prevent associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and support a more resilient, sustainable energy sector in Iraq. BGC is […]
By John Lee. Iraq's Cabinet of Ministers has approved a loan agreement between the Federal Ministry of Finance, Standard Chartered Bank and the German Deutsche Bank for the purpose of financing the construction of 13 secondary substations (132) kV, and the supply of 35 high voltage transformers with the German company, Siemens, for the Ministry […]
By John Lee. Iraq opened the books yesterday on its first independent bond sale in a decade. "Investor demand was huge," writese Marcus Ashworth at Bloomberg. "The deal was seven times oversubscribed." The $1-billion, dollar-denominated bond, maturing in March 2023, was expected yield 7 percent, but demand enabled that to be cut to 6.75 percent. […]
By John Lee. The Financial Times reports that Iraq has appointed Citi, Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan as joint bookrunners for a new five-year government bond. The issue is described as a dollar-denominated, long-dated, benchmark-scale bond; investor meetings scheduled over the coming days. In January, Iraq raised $1 billion of five-year bonds, guaranteed by the US, […]
By Simon Kent. Iraqi Central Bank Governor Ali Al-Alak has said that Iraq is issuing bonds to the value of around $2 billion in the next few months, following last year's aborted issuance after investors demanded too high a yield. At the time, investors demanded an 11% yield on the bonds, and the issuance was handled […]
By John Lee. Kurdistan's Qaiwan Group has secured two loans totalling $105 million to refinance part of the firm's investment in the 442-MW Bazian Power Plant (pictured). According to a report from Trade Arabia, Deutsche Bank has arranged an eight-year $75-million buyer credit, along with the Dubai branch of Lebanon's Bankmed. The finance is being […]
By John Lee. The CEO of Standard Chartered in Iraq has said that the bank is in talks with Iraq’s Finance Ministry to take part in a $2-billion bond sale this year. Andreas Meletiou also told Bloomberg that the London-based bank is also holding talks with other government institutions about their financing needs. A planned […]
By John Lee. Reuters reports that Iraqi officials are planning to start marketing a new Eurobond following the Labor Day holiday in the U.S., which falls on 7th September. Citigroup, Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan Chase are to be the lead managers for the deal, which is expected to be unsecured. Iraq is hoping to raise […]
By John Lee. The Iraqi government has reportedly appointed three major international banks to advise on its first international bond issue in almost a decade. Citigroup, Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan Chase will assist in placing $6 billion (7.2 trillion Iraqi dinars) of new government bonds, in an attempt to bridge the budget deficit. According to […]
By Simon Kent. After months of talks, the Kurdish Regional Government says it has authorisation from Baghdad to issue bonds, in a move aimed at easing growing financial pains in the semi autonomous region. According to Bloomberg, the region needs approximately $1.4 billion to balance its books. Quoting IBN blogger Robert Tollast, the report noted how the KRG […]
