S. Korea`s bond issuance dips 17.8 pct in July

SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's bond issuance dropped 17.8 percent in
July from a month earlier due mainly to decreased sales of corporate notes and
bonds by the central bank, the bourse operator said Thursday.
The government, state enterprises and private companies sold a combined 69.03
trillion won (US$56.5 billion) worth of debt last month, compared with 84.02
trillion won the previous month, according to the Korea Exchange (KRX).
The trading volume of bonds stood at 229.83 trillion won in July, down 4.9
percent from a month earlier on decreased government debt sales and the summer
vacation, it added.
Meanwhile, South Korea's bond yields rose last month as prospects for an economic
recovery mounted amid rising stock prices and solid corporate earnings reports.
The benchmark yield on five-year government bonds stood at 4.76 percent, up 0.12
percentage point from a month earlier while the return on three-year Treasuries
gained 0.1 percentage point to 4.26 percent, the KRX added.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
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