Sept 12 (Reuters) - Leading bond-fund managers PacificInvestment Management Co. and BlackRock Inc bought about$13 billion of the debt Verizon Communications Inc soldin its record $49 billion bond offering, the Wall Street Journalreported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Pimco, a unit of Germany's Allianz SE, boughtabout $8 billion of the bonds, while BlackRock purchased about$5 billion, the Journal said, citing the people.
Both firms discussed interest rates on Verizon's debt earlyon with the company and the bankers involved in selling thebonds, the daily reported.
Pimco, BlackRock and Verizon were not immediately availablefor comment when reached by Reuters.
Verizon, the world's biggest telecom company, set a newrecord for the largest corporate debt offering when it launchedthe $49 billion, eight-tranche bond on Wednesday, partly tofinance the $130 billion buyout of its wireless operations fromVodafone Group Plc.
The offering drew a total of $101 billion in orders frompension funds, endowments, institutional buyers and wealthmanagers hungry for higher-yielding securities.
The final size of the bond was at the top end of the $45-$49billion range that the market expected, following demand inexcess of $100 billion.
Vodafone (VOD)