Italy's borrowing costs jump in €4.5bn bond sale Italy also sold bonds due in 2019 at a yield of 6.1pc, up from 5.21pc on April 27, and bonds due to 2020 at a yield of 6.13pc, up from 5.33pc. "Clearly investors are demanding ever higher premium to buy Italian sovereign paper," said Nick Stamenkovic, a strategist at RIA Capital Markets. With overseas investors shifting out of BTPs (Italian government bonds) domestic investors are stepping up to the plate but for how long? Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti managed to regain market confidence after taking over from Silvio Berlusconi at the end of last year, but investor concerns have increased steadily in recent weeks amid fresh turmoil on the markets. After Spain's request for EU help to rescue its stricken banks and ahead of a momentous vote Sunday in Greece which could result in the country leaving the eurozone, Italy's 10-year government bond yield leapt over the 6pc barrier earlier this week. Mr Monti insisted yesterday that he was "relaxed over Italy's standing on the international stage and on the markets," telling his cabinet that the country had a lower public deficit and unemployment rate than many other EU countries.