Tunis: Tunisia has raised TND 1,444.7 million for the second tranche of the 2024 national bond issue, exceeding the amount initially set at TND 700 million, with a response rate of 206%, Maher Zouari, managing director of Tunisie Clearing, told TAP. The amounts subscribed between May 6 and 13, 2024 came from stock market brokers and banks, with subscription rates of 60% and 40% respectively, he added. The Ministry of Finance had raised TND 1,033.7 million for the first tranche of the 2024 national bond issue from February 5 to 13, exceeding the amount initially set at TND 750 million, a response rate of 138%. Financial analyst Bassem Naifer told TAP that "the timing of the issuance of the second tranche of the National Bond Issue is very favourable" as "the month of May 2024 does not involve any significant debt repayment, except for the repayment of TND 448 million in the form of 13-week short-term treasury bills borrowed in early 2024 and repaid on May 2". The 2024 Finance Law provides for raising TND 2 .87 billion under this national bond issue in four tranches. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse