Tadawul-listed SAL Saudi Logistics is out with a fresh SAR-denominated sukuk issuance, through a private placement with a minimum subscription value of SAR 1 mn, it said in a disclosure to the bourse. The company appointed JP Morgan Saudi Arabia and SNB Capital to manage the private placement. The offering wraps up on 29 January.

The big picture: Bond sales in the MENA started the year very strongly, with 14 borrowers raising almost USD 30 bn in international markets in just the first full week — more than the region raised in the whole of January last year, according to International Financing Review (IFR). Investors had plenty to choose from last week, with agreements from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, and Israel across government, bank, and corporate bonds. Many were keen on higher-yielding, lower-ranking bonds as tight pricing on top-quality debt pushed them to look for better returns.

Why this rush to debt markets? “Funding needs are elevated given lower oil prices as well as sustained growth in the non-energy sector, which is creating strong demand and profitable [windows] for borrowers,” IFR cites Faisal Ali, senior portfolio manager at Azimut. Issuance is expected to rise by 25-30% this year compared with last year’s record USD 172 bn, IFR said, citing LSEG data.

What’s next? Watch out for the demand and final pricing of the issuance. Recent issuances in the region’s logistics industry — especially in the aviation sector — have seen robust demand, with Dubai Aerospace Enterprise’s USD 600 mn issuance earlier this month closing 3.3x oversubscribed and with pricing tighter by 25 bps from initial guidance to a spread of 120 bps over US Treasuries.

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