Riyadh’s new bond issue attracts $31bn in orders

Saudi Arabia said the order book for its first international bond of 2026 reached $31 billion, reflecting strong demand for the kingdom’s issuances.

The bond was 2.7 times oversubscribed.

The kingdom raised $11.5 billion through a four-part bond offering under its global medium-term note issuance programme, the National Debt Management Center (NDMC) said in a statement.

The tranches were valued at $2.5 billion, $2.75 billion, $2.75 billion and $3.5 billion, with tenors of three, five, 10 and 30 years, respectively.

The bond offering was in line with the 2026 borrowing plan, which aims to diversify the investor base and meet the country’s financing needs from international debt capital markets, NDMC said.

AGBI reported earlier this month that NDMC had secured $13 billion through a seven-year syndicated loan to help finance power, water and public utilities projects.

Further reading:

• Debt reckoning on the horizon for Saudi Arabia
• Saudi Arabia’s policy trilemma: Oil, debt and deficits in 2026
• Saudi Arabia will issue more debt to meet budget shortfall

Under the finance ministry’s 2026 borrowing plan, projected funding will increase almost 56 percent from 2025 to SAR217 billion ($58 billion).

These loans will cover an anticipated budget deficit of SAR165 billion, or 3.3 percent of gross domestic product, for the year.

In December, the government said it expected the budget deficit to narrow in 2026 as it scales back spending amid weaker oil revenue and foreign investment.

Expenditure is projected at SAR1.31 trillion in 2026, lower than an estimated SAR1.34 trillion last year. Revenue is forecast at SAR1.15 trillion, up slightly on the estimated SAR1.09 trillion for 2025.