China to float 40b yuan in e-savings bonds

BEIJING - Two batches of electronic savings bonds worth up to 40 billion yuan ($6.47 billion) will be issued by China's Ministry of Finance (MOF), it was announced Wednesday.

The two batches will be the fifth and sixth issuance of such bonds this year, according to a ministry statement.

The fifth batch is worth 24 billion yuan and carries a term of three years with a fixed annual interest rate of 5 percent. The sixth issuance of five-year bonds is worth 16 billion yuan at a fixed annual interest rate of 5.41 percent, the MOF said.

The bonds will be issued from July 10 to 19. Interest will be calculated from July 10 and paid annually, the statement said.

The bonds will be available to individual investors at counters of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Bank of Communications and China Guangfa Bank, it said.

Electronic savings bonds are considered more convenient than other types, as interest can be paid directly into the investor's account.