Slovenia confirms banks for roadshow ahead of dollar bond

By John Geddie

LONDON, Oct 10 (IFR) - Slovenia (Baa2/A/A-) has confirmed that it has mandated BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan to arrange investor meetings with a potential US Dollar 144a/Reg S offering to follow, subject to market conditions.

The Slovenes will meet investors across the US starting on the West Coast on October 15, then in Boston on October 16, and New York on October 17. The roadshow will end in London on October 18-19.

Finance Minister Janez Sustersic told Reuters last month that the cash-strapped sovereign planned to issue a USD1.5bn 10-year US dollar bond in the second half of October or in November.

Slovenia has only issued in euros since it adopted the currency in 2007, but was forced to pull a euro-denominated bond earlier this year as market concerns over its debt-ridden, state-owned banks escalated.

With USD1.5bn of bond redemptions in early 2013, and a budget deficit that soared to 6.4% of GBP in 2011, many believe that if Slovenia continues to be locked out of bond markets it will have no choice but to seek official sector aid.

(Reporting By John Geddie; Editing by Sudip Roy)

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Keywords: SLOVENIA/BOND