Czechs to test euro-denominated bonds in domestic auctions

PRAGUE: The Czech Finance Ministry will auction euro-denominated domestic government bonds in February to gauge appetite for a new tool in its financing arsenal, debt department chief Petr Pavelek said on Monday.

The ministry said on Monday it would offer up to 100 million euros ($113.58 million) of the 2- or 3-year bonds denominated in a foreign currency and issued under Czech law, a small size compared to benchmark Eurobond issues on foreign markets.

That is alongside plans to auction up 22 billion crowns  ($976.69 million) in other domestic bonds.

"We have a preliminary indication of demand," Pavelek said in a telephone interview. "This is really to see the potential appetite for this type (of issue)."