New issues likely to offer 7.25-7.5%, against 6.85-7.1% yield on old bonds Many investors are keeping their gunpowder dry these days by selling their taxfree bond units subscribed in 2012-2014. These investors are gearing up for the large taxfree bond issuances from National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) totaling around ` . 16,500 crore that are likely to hit the market in mid-December. These bonds are likely to be offered at higher yields than the existing ones that are traded on the bourses. These investors -both high networth and retail -will use the cash generated from the sale to apply for the forthcoming issues. The new tax-free bonds are likely to offer investors anywhere between 7.25 and 7.5%, while yields on old tax-free bonds are around 6.85-7.1%. The arbitrage will help investors make about 50 basis points. For example, the 8.3% NHAI bond issued in 2012 and maturing in January 2027, trades at Rs.1,119 in the secondar