Jordan gets over $1.2bn in orders for dollar bond sale

• Bonds will mature in five years, a document showed on Wednesday.
• Jordan unveiled a major development strategy for next ten years

Jordan has received more than $1.2 billion in orders for its sale of US dollar-denominated bonds that will mature in just over five years, a document showed on Wednesday.

It revised guidance to the 8 percent area after initial price guidance earlier on Wednesday in the low 8 percent range, the investors’ note reviewed by Reuters showed.

The bonds are expected to be of benchmark size, which usually means at least $500 million, and will be priced later on Wednesday.

Citi, Goldman Sachs and HSBC are joint lead managers and bookrunners.

Jordan unveiled on Monday a major development strategy for up to the next 10 years that aims to double growth, including by attracting $41 billon in funds, to help raise the country’s GDP to 58.1 billion dinars ($82 billion) by 2033.

Prime Minister Bisher al Khaswaneh said the government would also soon unveil a reform plan for a bloated public sector that expanded rapidly as successive governments sought to appease citizens with state jobs to maintain stability.

The spending contributed to soaring public debt of $40 billion, equivalent to 90% of gross domestic product, which Jordan has been struggling to rein in.

The kingdom is rated B1 by Moody’s, B+ by S&P and BB- by Fitch, all with a stable outlook.