Saudi Aramco raises $4bn in bond sale as investor demand holds strong 

The latest transaction underscores the company’s ability to secure long-dated financing at competitive rates. Shutterstock
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Updated 03 February 2026
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Saudi Aramco raises $4bn in bond sale as investor demand holds strong 

RIYADH: Saudi Aramco raised $4 billion through a multi-tranche bond sale, extending its run of international debt offerings as the world’s largest oil exporter taps strong investor appetite for Gulf investment-grade debt. 

The notes were issued under the company’s Global Medium Term Note Program and priced on Jan. 26, Aramco said in a statement. The bonds are listed on the London Stock Exchange and span maturities from 2029 to 2056. 

This comes as Aramco remains an active borrower in global markets, having raised $5 billion through a bond sale in June and a further $3 billion via an international sukuk in September, after completing a $6 billion bond deal and a $3 billion sukuk offering in 2024. 

The latest transaction underscores the company’s ability to secure long-dated financing at competitive rates as it balances expansion spending with shareholder returns. 

Ziad Al-Murshed, Aramco’s executive vice president and chief financial officer, said: “This issuance is part of Aramco’s focused strategy to further optimize its capital structure and enhance shareholder value creation.” 

He added: “The attractive pricing achieved on the transaction reflects global investors’ continued confidence in Aramco’s financial strength and resilient balance sheet. We remain firmly committed to maintaining disciplined capital management and delivering long-term value to our shareholders.” 

The notes include a $500 million tranche due in 2029 with a 4 percent coupon and a $1.5 billion tranche due in 2031 at 4.37 percent. 

They also comprise a $1.25 billion tranche due in 2036 at 5 percent, alongside a $750 million 30-year tranche maturing in 2056 with a 6 percent coupon. 

A key indicator of the transaction’s success and Aramco’s robust credit standing was the achievement of negative new issue premiums on three of the four tranches, the statement said. 

The proceeds are expected to support the company’s ongoing capital expenditure programs, which include investments in both upstream oil and gas capacity and downstream chemical projects, as well as its strategic initiatives in new energy sectors. 

The transaction highlights Aramco’s ability to leverage its superior credit profile to secure cost-effective financing, aligning its capital structure optimization with its broader ambition of sustainable value creation for its shareholders. 


Free trade negotiations between GCC, India mark a new phase of partnership, says secretary-general

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Free trade negotiations between GCC, India mark a new phase of partnership, says secretary-general

RIYADH: The Gulf Cooperation Council’s secretary-general affirmed that the negotiations for a free trade agreement between the GCC and India, and the signing of the joint statement, represents a new phase of strategic partnership.

Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi said that this contributes to enhancing close cooperation and strengthening economic and trade ties, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

This came during the signing ceremony of the joint statement on launching the free trade agreement negotiations between the Al-Budaiwi and India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, which took place in New Delhi, on Tuesday.

During the signing ceremony, Al-Budaiwi said that the Terms of Reference, signed on Feb. 5, provide a comprehensive and clear framework for these negotiations. The two nations agreed to discuss enhancing cooperation in vital strategic areas, including trade in goods, customs procedures, and services.

Additionally, the framework covers Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures, intellectual property rights, cooperation on Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, along with other topics of mutual interest. This reflects the comprehensive nature of the agreement and its ability to keep pace with the future economy.

Al-Budaiwi expressed hope that these negotiations would lead to a comprehensive and ambitious free trade agreement that works to remove customs and non-customs barriers, enhance the flow of quality investments in both directions, and achieve further liberalization in trade and investment cooperation between the GCC and India for mutual benefit. 

This would provide a stimulating economic environment and an investment climate that opens broad horizons for the business sector, supports supply chains, and accelerates the pace of economic growth in line with the ambitious developmental visions of the GCC states. 

The top official affirmed the full readiness of the General Secretariat to host the first round of negotiations at its headquarters in Riyadh during the second half of this year.

The two sides held a meeting during which they reviewed the existing cooperation relations between the GCC and India and discussed ways to develop and elevate them to broader horizons, serving mutual interests and enhancing opportunities for strategic partnership between the two sides, particularly in the economic, investment, and trade fields.

They praised the role undertaken by the negotiating teams from both sides, appreciating the efforts contributing to reaching a comprehensive agreement that enhances economic integration and supports the smooth flow of trade between the two nations.