Johannesburg - International investors gave South Africa a resounding thumbs-up after an overseas money-raising exercise - the first in two years - was hailed a blinding success.
Its $1.5bn (R12.5bn), 10-year global bond drew bids of more than $6bn (R50bn), the National Treasury said on Wednesday.
The bond, issued on Tuesday and arranged by Barclays, JP Morgan and Standard Bank, was originally intended to raise $1bn but was increased due to strong interest.
South Africa has turned to the markets to raise money to help fund increased government spending, including plans to lay out R700bn on infrastructure over the next three years, as the economic downturn affects tax revenues. Government's budget deficit is expected to reach 3.8% this financial year.
News agency Bloomberg earlier reported that the 10-year debt would yield 375 basis points above US treasuries of similar maturity, lower than the 387.5 basis points expected earlier.
"In the current market, that is a great rate," said Johann van Tonder, an economist at Dynamic Wealth.
Given the competition, it's even more of an achievement. Bloomberg reported that bond sales by companies and governments in developing economies have reached almost $59.6bn in 2009, 62% more than in the same period last year.
Big economies with ballooning budget deficits are also milking the bond markets. The UK plans to raise a record £220bn through bond issues this year, while European governments are also selling record amounts of debt.
Van Tonder said the warm response to South Africa's money-raising exercise was an indication that the global recession may be bottoming out.
"If overseas investors are prepared to pour money into an emerging country with so-called political uncertainties, and whose new political leader was only weeks ago shrouded in controversy, it is a sign that risk appetite has returned."
Rating agencies had voiced concerns about possible changes to economic policy under new leader Jacob Zuma, owing to the increased influence of his trade union and communist allies in the government.
Van Tonder said the capital raised would ease pressure on funding SA's current account deficit.
Local bond market fillip
The fact that government managed to raise $500m more than expected would also give the local bond market - where government traditionally goes to raise money - a breather.
The treasury said in February that local bond issuance would almost have to double as public sector borrowing requirements jump to 7.5% of gross dometic product in 2009/10, or R185.7bn, from 3.9%.
Reuters reported that Standard & Poor's rated the bond at BBB+ and Moody's at Baa1, and added that the ratings were supported by prudent macroeconomic policies and relatively low debt.
"The ratings on South Africa are supported by its prudent macroeconomic policies, a moderate debt burden, and stable political institutions," S&P credit analyst Remy Salters said in a statement.
"These are balanced by continued high reliance on external portfolio inflows in the context of a large current account deficit, and severe structural socio-economic weaknesses."
Salters said an orderly balance of payments correction and continued prudent fiscal policies would support the country's rating, while a loosening in policy would add downward pressure.
The agency cut the outlook on South Africa's sovereign rating to negative last year. S&P said South Africa's economy was likely to contract by 1.5% in 2009.
Africa's biggest economy has been hard hit by the global downturn, and is widely expected to have fallen into its first recession in nearly two decades in the first quarter of 2009.
Moody's said growth would resume in the second half of the year after a "relatively brief" recession, helped by lower interest rates and higher government spending.
"Both domestic and external demand are weak, and the agency is also not optimistic that the economy will stage a more vigorous revival until sometime next year," said Kristin Lindow, Moody's senior vice-president.
Lindow said South Africa's low level of external debt was a key factor behind Moody's positive outlook on the government's Baa1 foreign currency rating.
"South Africa is issuing in the international capital market for the first time in two years," she said. "Its modest external financing requirements mean that the South African government only taps the market infrequently."
- Fin24.com and Reuters