A Challenging Bond Auction for the DMO – Coronation Merchant Bank

The DMO held its monthly auction of FGN bonds yesterday. It offered N225bn but raised N200.9bn (USD466.5m) through re-openings of the 2025, 2032 and 2042 FGN bonds.

The participation level was higher when compared to the auction held in July. However, total subscriptions remained lower when compared with the average of the first six months of 2022. The DMO secured a total bid of N247.1bn (USD574.6m) at the bond auction held yesterday.

The bids for the 3, 10 and 20-year benchmarks were allotted at the marginal rates of 12.5% (previously; 11.0%), 13.5% (previously; 13.0%) and 14.0% (previously; 13.7%) respectively.

The relatively low demand at the auction mirrors tight system liquidity. We note that market liquidity stood at a deficit of -N3.6bn on Friday (12 August ‘22). Overnight and repo rates closed within a range of 12 – 15%. The tightness in system liquidity can be partly attributed to CBN’s continuous use of the discretionary cash reserve ratio (CRR) debits.

We suspect that the negative real interest rates given the elevated inflation figure has contributed to investors’ apathy towards FGN bond yields. The latest inflation report released by the NBS shows July’s headline inflation increased by 104bps (when compared with the previous month) to 19.64% y/y. This is the highest reading since 2005.

Meanwhile, average yield in the secondary market for FGN bonds is 12.7% (as at 16 August ’22). The CBN’s in-house estimates suggest that inflation is likely to remain considerably high, partly due to the build-up of increased spending related to the 2023 general elections.

The monetary policy committee (MPC) believes that further tightening would help moderate worsening inflationary trend and narrow the real interest rate gap. The MPC/CBN raised the policy rate by 100bps from 13% to 14% in July ‘22. However, given the upward trend in inflation, expectations of another rate hike is not far-fetched.

The DMO had set out to raise a maximum of N1.9trn by end -Q3 ’22. However, year-todate, it has raised N2.1trn. exceeding its target by 12% or N220bn. Given that the debt management office is expected to offer instruments worth N221 – 240bn through reopenings of the 13.53% FGN MAR 2025, 12.50% FGN APR 2032 and 13.00% FGN JAN 2042 bonds in September, the DMO is likely to exceed its borrowing target for FGN bonds by end -Q3 ’22.

Allowing for the smaller amounts which the FGN raises from the sale of other debt instruments such as NTBs and savings bonds, DMO is on track pro rata to meet or exceed the domestic borrowing target for the year set at N3.53trn.

The FGN was unable to meet its revenue target for Jan – Apr 2022, it underperformed by 51%. FGN’s retained revenue stood at N1.63trn, compared to the prorate target of N3.32trn. Debt service (N1.94trn) accounted for 119% of the FGN’s revenue in April ‘22.

In the near term, we expect increased borrowing (via FGN bonds) to result in an uptick in yields across the curve. We see mid-curve FGN bond yields around 12.0 – 13.5% and yields at the longer-end of the curve between 13.25% – 14.25% over the next one month.

However, the level of system liquidity (impacted by items such as auctions, CRR debits/refunds, bond/NTB maturities, coupon payments and FAAC allocation) would also influence movement in yields.