ATHENS, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Greece raised on Wednesday 1.625 billion euros (1.85 billion U.S. dollars) in the first treasury bills auction conducted in 2019, the country's Public Debt Management Agency (PDMA) announced.

The six-month treasury bills were sold at 0.9 percent yield, unchanged from the previous similar auction held on Dec. 5, 2018, according to the e-mailed PDMA press release.

The debt-ridden country has conducted a monthly treasury bill auction program to cover maturing debts and meet its financing needs since it was shut out of international capital markets in 2010, in parallel to the international rescue programs.

On Aug. 20, 2018, Greece exited the eight-year bailout and is set to return the markets in coming months, according to Greek finance ministry officials. (1 euro=1.14 U.S. dollars)