Goldman launches $500m sukuk

Goldman Sachs has launched a $500 million, five-year debut Islamic bond offer that will price later on Tuesday, with pricing at the tight end of guidance.

The investment bank set the transaction to price at a spread of 90 basis points over midswaps, a document from lead arrangers showed, at the lower end of its revised guidance of between 90 and 95 bps. Initial guidance was in the area of 95 bps.

Investor orders grew to $1.5 billion for the issue, the document showed.

The sukuk is being issued through a vehicle called JANY Sukuk Co and will be guaranteed by Goldman Sachs. The issue is expected to be rated A-minus by Standard & Poor's and A by Fitch Ratings, identical to the ratings of the investment bank. It will be listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.

Goldman had picked itself, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Emirates NBD, National Bank of Abu Dhabi, QInvest and the investment banking arm of Saudi Arabia's National Commercial Bank to arrange the issue. 

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