ATHENS, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Greek authorities announced on Monday that six international banks have been mandated for issuing a 10-year sovereign bond, the country's first such foray in the money markets in nine years.
Greece's Public Debt Management Agency announced it has commissioned the services of BNP Paribas, Citi, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, HSBC and JP Morgan as joint lead managers for the issue of the bond.
The statement added that the issue will take place "in the near future", depending on market conditions.
Greece last issued a 10-year bond in March 2010, and the high interest rate of that issue contributed in the country's resorting to its first international bailout by the eurozone and the International Monetary Fund.
Six and a half months since the completion of the third bailout program, Athens is now returning to the markets with a benchmark issue that is set to complete its yield curve, on the back of a successful issue of a five-year bond in late January.
The announcement came as the yield of Greece's benchmark 10-year government bond eased to a decade-low of 3.60 percent in the secondary market in the early hours of Monday.
It also followed the announcement by Moody's of a two-notch advance of Greece's credit rating last Friday to "B1", which is still four notches below investment grade.
