France: AFT Allots €8 Billion Across Four BTF Lines

18 May 2026

By Laura Contemori – ROME (Econostream) – Agence France Trésor (AFT) on Monday allotted €7.997 billion of fixed-rate discount Treasury bills (BTFs) at auction.

AFT sold €3.300 billion of a 13-week BTF maturing August 19, 2026, €400 million of an 18-week BTF maturing September 23, 2026, €2.199 billion of a 26-week BTF maturing November 18, 2026, and €2.098 billion of a 52-week BTF maturing May 20, 2027.

Total bids amounted to €29.149 billion.

The 13-week BTF was allotted at a marginal rate of 2.255%, the 18-week at 2.310%, the 26-week at 2.415%, and the 52-week at 2.650%.

Weighted average rates were 2.250% for the 13-week, 2.304% for the 18-week, 2.412% for the 26-week, and 2.642% for the 52-week.

Settlement for all four lines was scheduled for May 20, 2026.

AFT said the total amount issued could be increased by non-competitive bids 2 (NCT2), scheduled for May 19.

Central Bank

Ex-ECB's Knot Says Policymakers Must Watch Inflation Expectations, Avoid Undue Harm

By David Barwick – BUDAPEST (Econostream) – Former European Central Bank Governing Council member Klaas Knot on Monday said economic fragmentation required monetary authorities to monitor inflation expectations closely, while avoiding unnecessary damage from excessive policy action.

18 May 2026

ECB’s Nagel, ECB’s Lagarde React to Losses in Bond Markets

By Marta Vilar – MADRID (Econostream) – European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde and Governing Council member Joachim Nagel reacted on Monday to losses in the bond market due to the ongoing war in the Middle East.

18 May 2026

ECB’s Kocher: Euro’s Attractiveness Has Increased Recently

By David Barwick – BUDAPEST (Econostream) – European Central Bank Governing Council member Martin Kocher on Monday said the euro’s international attractiveness had recently increased, citing international debt issuance and foreign demand for Eurozone assets.

18 May 2026

Debt Issuance

Germany: Finanzagentur Allots €3.89 Billion in Bubill Reopenings

By Laura Contemori – ROME (Econostream) – The German Finance Agency (Finanzagentur) on Monday allotted €3.893 billion via the reopening of two Bubill lines.

18 May 2026

Slovakia: Ministry of Finance Sells €569 Million in Competitive Bond Auction

By Laura Contemori – ROME (Econostream) – Slovakia’s Ministry of Finance accepted €569 million of bids across four government bond lines in the competitive part of an auction on Monday, with total demand reaching €1.121 billion, according to results published by ARDAL.

18 May 2026

EU: Commission Raises €6.5 Billion in Three-Line Competitive Bond Auction

By Laura Contemori – ROME (Econostream) – The European Commission, on behalf of the European Union, on Monday raised €6.462 billion through an auction of EU-Bonds across three maturities.

18 May 2026