Glencore buys back $400 million in debt

Company also repaid three bonds amounting to $1.95 billion

Glencore’s headquarters in the Swiss town of Baar. The company has bought back debt.
Glencore’s headquarters in the Swiss town of Baar. The company has bought back debt.

Glencore said it has repurchased about $400 million of bonds since September 30th, after a market rout drove yields on some of its securities to junk levels.

The mining and trading company bought back debt maturing mainly in 2016 and 2017, it said on Wednesday , without specifying which securities.

The company also repaid three bonds amounting to $1.95 billion. Yields on some Glencore bonds surged in late September and the stock plunged to a record low on investor concern that a commodity slump would impede its ability to curb $30 billion of debt.

The Switzerland-based company on Wednesday outlined a goal to trim borrowings to $25 billion by year-end.

“I would be reasonably comforted by this because it seems the company has enough liquidity,” said Chris Bowie, a London- based money manager at TwentyFour Asset Management.

“They obviously believe these bonds are trading well beyond fair economic value if they wish to buy them back.”

- Bloomberg

  • Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date

  • Sign up to the Business Today newsletter for the latest new and commentary in your inbox

  • Listen to Inside Business podcast for a look at business and economics from an Irish perspective