Third Government bond auction held

The National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) today held its third auction of Irish Government bonds in 2010.

Two bonds were offered in the auction, the 4.6% Treasury Bond 2016 and the 4.5% Treasury Bond 2020, the NTMA said in a statement.

The overall total amount of the two bonds offered in the auction was in the range of €1bn to €1.5bn.

The 2016 bond was sold at an average yield of 3.479% while the 2020 bond was sold at an average yield of 4.426%.

Today’s auction brings the total funds raised from the bond market in 2010 to €10.2bn, or 51% of the NTMA’s bond issuance programme of €20bn for 2010.

In addition to its €20bn funding programme for 2010 the NTMA carried forward into the year some €5bn of long term advance funding achieved in 2009.

The NTMA will continue its regular series of monthly bond auctions with the next auction scheduled for April 20, 2010, the statement said.