ROME: Italy's borrowing costs for 3-year and 7-year BTP bonds hit fresh record lows at an auction on Thursday.

In the last BTP bond auction this year, the Treasury sold the top planned 5.75 billion euros ($6.96 billion), attracting orders for 8.07 billion euros.

It placed 2.75 billion euros of a 3-year BTP maturing in January 2024 at a -0.30pc gross yield, the lowest ever, compared with -0.19pc last month.

Rome also sold 3 billion euros of a 7-year BTP bond due in September 2027 at a 0.19pc gross yield, the lowest ever, compared with 0.35pc at the previous sale in mid-November.