Connect with us

Latest News

Teetering on default, Russia misses $1.9 million payment, committee determines

Published

on

  • Russia fails to pay $1.9 million in accrued interest on a dollar bond.
  • Failure expected to trigger payouts potentially worth billions of dollars.
  • Sanctions on Russia have excluded it from global financial system. 

NEW YORK/LONDON: Russia’s failure to pay $1.9 million in accrued interest on a dollar bond will trigger payouts potentially worth billions of dollars, a panel of investors determined on Wednesday, as the country teeters on its first major external debt default in over a century. 

Sanctions imposed by western countries and their allies on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, as well as countermeasures by Moscow, have all but excluded the country from the global financial system. 

The lapse last month of a key US license allowing Russia to make payments put the prospect of the country defaulting back into focus. 

A Credit Derivatives Determinations Committee (CDDC) overseeing Europe, whose members are banks and asset managers, said on its website on Wednesday that it voted “yes” to a question on whether a “failure to pay credit event” occurred with respect to Russia.

Citibank was the sole “no” vote, while 12 other members voted “yes”.

Russia’s international 2022 bond matured on April 4 and payment of principal and interest due at maturity was not made until May 2. During that period, Russia was obligated to continue to pay interest which a holder calculated at $1.9 million. 

The CDDC was then asked to determine if Russia’s non-payment constituted a failure to pay that would trigger payouts for insurance against a default, or credit default swaps (CDS).

The committee, whose members also include Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Deutsche Bank, Elliot Management and PIMCO, agreed that the failure to pay happened on May 19 and that a request to find a resolution was submitted on May 26. Citi again voted ‘no’.

The committee will meet again on June 6 at 2pm London time (1300 GMT) to continue the process, which could move to set up an auction to determine any CDS payouts.

There are currently $2.54 billion of net notional CDS outstanding in relation to Russia, including $1.68 billion on the country itself and the remainder on the CDX.EM index, according to JPMorgan calculations.

A default for the purposes of CDS contracts “occurs once the determination committee votes for a credit event, which has now happened,” said Gabriele Foa, portfolio manager of the Global Credit Opportunities Fund at Algebris.

“Of course […] it is a very small amount, so the definition of default is very technical. If, as it seems, it is not possible for foreign investors to receive dollars starting May 25, the default will soon be more material.”

The focus for a wider default is now on a coupon payment due June 24 on a bond issued in 1998.

Russia has under $40 billion of international bonds outstanding and close to $2 billion in payments are due through year-end.

The country has the means to avoid default, with nearly $650 billion of available gold and currency reserves prior to the Ukraine invasion, which it calls a “special military operation”, and makes billions of dollars a week selling oil and gas.

Russia’s Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said last month that Moscow will service its external debt obligations in roubles if the United States blocks other options and will not call itself in default as it has the means to pay. Not all bonds allow for payment in roubles, however.

Russia has said it could extend a scheme used for its gas payments to sovereign bondholders, allowing Eurobond investors to open Russian FX and rouble accounts. The money would be channelled through Russia’s National Settlement Depository (NSD), which is not under Western sanctions.

Russian dollar-denominated bonds rose between 1 cent and 2.5 cents on Wednesday, Refinitiv data show. They are in the very distressed territory, ranging in price from 30 cents on the dollar to as low as 19 cents.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest News

Five IPP contracts are being terminated, according to PM Shehbaz.

Published

on

By

He stated that this was carried out with the owners of the IPPs’ mutual approval while presiding over today’s federal cabinet meeting in Islamabad.

The Prime Minister notified the Cabinet that no interest will be paid; only the remaining sums owed to these IPPs will be settled.

He emphasized that breaking these contracts will benefit the national exchequer by around 411 billion rupees and save power users roughly sixty billion rupees.

Shehbaz Sharif claimed that it was the result of the government team’s tireless efforts working together. In this regard, he acknowledged the associated parties’ contributions and support as well. In particular, he brought up General Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff, who showed a personal interest in the entire situation.

The Prime Minister explained that the breakthrough marked the start of a path that will ultimately lead to the wealth and advancement of the populace.

Shehbaz Sharif also brought up the assistance given to power users in the summer by the Punjabi and Federal governments.

The prime minister expressed happiness that the economy is steadily approaching stability. He made note of the fact that remittances for the first quarter reached a record-breaking $8.8 billion. This indicates that Pakistan’s economy is progressing, he remarked.

The administration, according to Shehbaz Sharif, also took action to lower the inflation, which is currently only one digit. He said that this was the PML-N’s election manifesto pledge being fulfilled.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Special Jirga for Peace in KP: Consultation of Parliamentary Leaders During the Jirga

Published

on

By

Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi departed for Peshawar to take part in the special jirga on the political and peace conditions in the province.

He was asked to participate in the jirga, which was called by the Provincial Assembly to discuss provincial matters, by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.

Following discussions with the parliamentary leaders of all of the Provincial Assembly’s political parties, this Jirga has been called.

According to Ahmed Karim Kundi, a Pakistan People’s Party provincial assembly member, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s predicament worries all of the province’s major groups.

Continue Reading

Latest News

The Interior Minister is scheduled to attend the Grand Jirga in Peshawar.

Published

on

By

To examine the political and security situation, Mohsin Naqvi, the federal minister of interior, will be present at the Grand Jirga in Peshawar.

Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sardar Ali Amin Gandapur is hosting the Grand Jirga, which will take place at the Chief Minister House in Peshawar.

This jirga is intended to examine the province’s present political and security landscape and develop a collective action plan.

Discussing the issues that surfaced following the Pakhtun Jirga, which was organized by the outlawed Pashtoon Tahafuz Movement, is the purpose of the current Jirga.

Political party leaders, tribal elders, and members of the Provincial Assembly Khyber Pakthunkhwa will also be present at the Jirga.

Continue Reading

Trending