Lafarge SA will launch a US$1.5bn (EUR1.18bn) bond issue in the USA, it was reported on July 12, 2006.  The operation is earmarked to fund the company’s debt, which resulted from the buyout of the minority stake in its North American subsidiary, worth US$3.5bn (EUR2.75bn). 
 
The bond issue is divided in three tranches of US$500m each, with maturity terms of five, 10 and 30 years respectively. The subscription price has not been fixed yet and should be determined in the coming days.  International credit rating agency Fitch Ratings assigned a BBB rating on the operation, in accordance with the BBB rating of Lafarge. 
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