MBA Knowledge Base

Euro Notes

Euro Notes are like promissory notes issued by companies for obtaining short term funds. They emerged in early 1980s with growing securitization in the international financial market. They are denominated in any currency other than the currency of the country where they are issued. They represent low cost funding route. Documentation facilities are the minimum. They can be easily tailored to suit the requirements of different kinds of borrowers. Investors too prefer them in view of short maturity.

When the issuer plans to issue Euro notes, it hires the services of facility agents or the lead arranger. On the advice of the lead arranger, it issues the notes, gets them underwritten and sells them through the placement agents. After the selling period is over the underwriter buys the unsold issues.

The Euro notes carry three main cost components: Underwriting fee; One time management fee for structuring, pricing and documentation; and Margin on the notes themselves. The margin is either in the form of spread above/below LIBOR or built into the note price itself.…

International bonds are a debt instrument. They are issued by international agencies, governments and companies for borrowing foreign currency for a specified period of time. The issuer pays interest to the creditor and makes repayment of capital. There are different types of such bonds. The procedure of issue is very specific. All these need some explanation here.

Types of International Bonds

1. Foreign Bonds and Euro Bonds

International bonds are classified as foreign bonds and Euro bonds. There is a difference between the two, primarily on four counts. First, in the case of foreign bond, the issuer selects a foreign financial market where the bonds are issued in the currency of that very country. If an Indian company issues bond in New York and the bond is denominated in a currency other than the currency of the country where the bonds are issued. If the Indian company’s bond is denominated in US dollar, the bonds will be used in any country other than the USA. Then only it will be called Euro bond. Secondly, foreign bonds are underwritten normally by the underwriters of the country where they are issued.…