Euro-denominated bond issuance closed the gap on US dollar debt in the first half of 2001 as the single currency debt market, which is still only two and a half years old, continued to mature.

In a half-year characterised by the highest amount of issuance ever, euro bonds accounted for 43% of the international market - or $397bn (€468bn) of the $924bn total, according to Dealogic Capital Data.