Portugal raises €1.5bn in debt saleFebruary 20, 2013 - 17:21 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Portugal has raised €1.5 billion ($2 billion) in a debt sale at sharply lower rates as the bailed-out country continues to benefit from improving market confidence, The Associated Press reports. The government debt agency said it sold €1.155 billion in 12-month debt Wednesday, Feb 20, at a rate of 1.277 percent, down from 1.61 percent last month. It said there was market demand for more than double the amount offered. It also collected €345 million from a 3-month T-bill sale, with the yield slightly up at 0.737 percent compared with 0.67 percent in January. Demand was almost four times higher than the amount available. Portugal has cranked up its austerity measures this year to reduce the national debt, despite a steep recession. Top stories Yerevan has dismissed Turkey’s demand to shut down the Armenian nuclear power plant as “inappropriate”. Armenia will loan 2.9 billion drams to Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), according to a draft government decision. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan has “strongly condemned” Armenia’s decision. Kerobyan has said that for the first time in the history of Armenia, the volume of foreign direct investments amounted to about $1 billion. Partner news | Pashinyan’s spokesperson denies intention to visit Baku for COP29 Pashinyan’s agenda doesn’t include a trip to Baku for the COP29 conference, his press secretary Nazeli Baghdasaryan has said. Russia accuses West of preparing invasion of CSTO countries NATO is preparing an invasion of the CSTO countries, the number of provocations in the air is growing, Sergei Shoigu has said. Lithuania sending €100,000 to help Armenia fight floods consequences Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan took to social media to thank his Lithuanian counterpart for the contribution. Armenia: Rescue workers restore pedestrian bridge for flood-hit community Rescue workers on Wednesday, June 5 restored a pedestrian bridge in the town of Alaverdi in Armenia’s north. |