Wednesday, May 23, 2012

(This story was originally published Tuesday.)

RIYADH (Zawya Dow Jones)--National Industrialization Co. (2060.SA), or Tasnee, said Tuesday it completed its first shariah-compliant sukuk issue worth 2 billion Saudi riyals ($533.3 million).

The seven-year sukuk, which was oversubscribed by 260%, was offered at a variable rate in a private placement to Saudi investors, the petrochemicals company said in a statement on the Saudi bourse's website.

The firm previously picked HSBC Saudi Arabia to help issue riyal-denominated sukuk. Several companies in the kingdom have sold bonds in the domestic market this year, but international issues remain scant despite big demand for blue-chip Saudi debt, analysts say.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation launched a landmark 15 billion Saudi riyal ($4 billion) sukuk earlier this year, which carried a guarantee from the Saudi government.

Tasnee's shares finished trading 2.13% higher Tuesday at SAR33.60.

-By Summer Said, Dow Jones Newswires; +966-546-842373; summer.said@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

23-05-12 0358GMT