EFSF denies report that it bought its own bonds

The eurozone's bailout fund said on Sunday that it did not buy its own bonds last week, denying a British newspaper report that it spent more than 100 million euros ($137 million) to cover a shortfall of demand. Britain's Sunday Telegraph said that the EFSF had to step in after banks leading the deal were only able to find about 2.7 billion euros of outside demand.
The 10-year bond sale raised 3 billion euros last Monday. "The EFSF did not buy its own bonds and the book was 3 billion euros," an EFSF spokesman said, referring to the 3 billion euros raised in last Monday's 10-year bond issue.
Top officials of the EFSF have said the modest 3 billion euro issue was a reflection of the unstable market conditions.
EFSF head Klaus Regling told the Financial Times on Friday that market upheaval had made it difficult to leverage the fund to the planned 1 trillion euros.