By David French
DUBAI, June 10 (Reuters) - Banque Saudi Fransi
Pricing of the trade, which will boost the bank's Tier 2 - or supplementary - capital, is at 140 basis points over the Saudi interbank offered rate (Saibor)
The lifespan of the Islamic bond is ten years but it has a clause which allows the bank to repay the deal after five years, two of the sources said. One of them added that order books were scheduled to close at the end of this week, and the transaction would likely complete in the days after that.
Sources told Reuters last month the bank planned a 2 billion riyal deal by end-June, which would be arranged by its own investment banking arm, Saudi Fransi Capital.
The bank didn't respond to an emailed request for comment.
BSF's sukuk is the latest capital-boosting Islamic bond sale from a bank in the kingdom. Saudi lenders have high capital ratios compared to Western banks, due to the regulator's conservative stance, but a period of sustained lending growth has led many to strengthen their reserves.
Saudi Investment Bank
BSF's total capital adequacy ratio at the end of March, which combines both Tier 1 - or core - and Tier 2 capital, and is a key indicator of the bank's financial health, stood at 15.57 percent, down from 16.29 percent at the same time last year, according to its latest financial statement. ($1 = 3.7505 Saudi Riyals)
(Editing by Andrew Torchia)
((davidj.french@thomsonreuters.com)(+971 4 362 5864)(Reuters Messaging: davidj.french.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
Keywords: SAUDIBANQUE SAUDI SUKUK/




















