insto - Australian financial markets

Global stock indices opened the week on the back foot as risk aversion in the resource and financial sectors retuned. The S&P500 traded down 0.3 per cent while European stocks fell 0.7 per cent. Japanese markets were closed for a public holiday, while the Hong Kong bourse traded down and Shanghai posted a slight gain.

Mining house BHP Billiton has priced a US$2.25 billion three-tranche SEC registered fixed and floating rate notes issue.

Bank of America and JPMorgan were joint bookrunners on the transaction.

The transaction launched and priced intra day – 26 March 2007 at an initial level of US$1.5 billion before being upsized to US$2.25 billion. BHP completed a EUR1.2 billion three and seven year transaction earlier in the year.

BHP Billiton completes EUR1.2 billion Eurobond deal (19 February 2007) ***
BHP Billiton, rated A+/A1, completed a EUR1.2 billion fixed and floating rate eurobond on Friday 16 February via Barclays and BNP Paribas.