Axis Bank to raise $ 500 mn via bonds

Axis Bank acting through its DIFC (Dubai International Financial Centre) branch is set to raise at least $ 500 million through Regulation S (Reg S) bonds.

This is the bank's first dollar bond issue in almost three years. It is a Reg S bond issue which means the bonds are offered to non-US residents and qualified institutional buyers under an exception to US securities laws enacted in 1990, and do not enjoy the same legal protection as other issues.

The tenure of the bonds are 5.5 years. The bonds have been rated 'Baa2" by Moody's, 'BBB' by Fitch and S&P. The issue arrangers are HSBC, Barclays, Credit Agricole, JP Morgan and Standard Chartered Bank.