Japan has pledged to buy more than 20 per cent of the eurozone’s first ever bond issue, raising expectations that other international investors will support the pioneering fund- raising move and help ease the region’s debt crisis.
The European financial stability facility, the €440bn ($570bn) eurozone bail-out fund, is marketing its first bond issue of up to €5bn among investors in Europe, the US and Asia. Bankers close to the deal are confident of attracting support from sovereign wealth funds in China, Norway and the Middle East.
Funds raised from the issue, to be priced next week, will be used to back the €85bn bail-out of Ireland. Some investors see the bond issue as a precursor to a common eurozone bond market that could rapidly expand.