Colombia was seen offering a generous premium Monday on its new bond deal, trying to lure investors into a benchmark-sized long 10-year amid worries about the price of its main export, oil. The South American country, rated Baa2/BBB/BBB, came out with initial price thoughts of 262.5bp area, a concession of around 40bp-50bp over its existing curve.
"It seems like a fairly healthy concession," said a banker not involved in the trade, who had Colombia's existing 4% 2024s quoted at a G-spread of 215bp at the close of day on Friday.
"People feel there is a fair amount of risk around oil."
Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse are the bookrunners on the deal, which was expected to price later on Monday.
Colombian assets have been hit hard by the tumble in the price of crude oil, the country's main export, with local assets bearing the brunt of the sell-off.
The peso has lost 26% of its value so far this year, while the main stock index has dropped by more than 17%.
US dollar-denominated bonds like the sovereign's 2024s, on the other hand, are down by only roughly 3% year-to-date.
"We like Colombia as a credit and probably it has been beaten up a little more than it deserves," one Boston-based investor evaluating the credit told IFR.
"But there is other stuff that is cheaper than the sovereign, and we are already overweight."
Colombia posted annual GDP growth of 3% in the second quarter, but the economic outlook remains challenging, according to a note Monday from GlobalSource Partners.
"Economic recovery will be limited by slow-growing external demand, low commodity prices, lower liquidity and uncertainty in financial markets," the note said.
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