Debt Management
West African central bankers receive training in debt managment and corporate governance practices
West African Institute for Financial Management works with IMF and World Bank to train region’s central bankers
Germany’s Schäuble calls for bond swap on Greek debt
Trichet has some sympathy in Vienna Initiative-style arrangement for Greece; German finance minister calls on ECB to go one step further with swap deal
Private sector involvement in Greece may be harmful: ECB’s Bini Smaghi
European Central Bank executive board member Lorenzo Bini Smaghi says private sector involvement is fraught with complications
Greece agrees new package
Authorities strike deal over Greece; extensive privatisation programme to commence shortly
Talk of restructuring worsened turmoil: Bini Smaghi
ECB executive board member blames inability of securities market programme to curb investor fears on renewed talk of restructuring; tells Central Banking Greece should have sought help sooner
Argentina’s Blejer likens Greece bailout to ponzi scheme
Former Central Bank of Argentina president Mario Blejer compares Greece bailout to ponzi scheme; analyst expects restructuring of debt to be delayed until 2013
OECD and South Africa to set up first African sovereign debt management centre
New centre will train African government officials in managing sovereign debt and set up a government debt database for the region
Worry about Greek CDS misguided, dealers suggest
Dealers believe fears about Greek sovereign CDS trigger event are overplayed
Central banks risk amplifying tightening cycle
Working group review on sovereign debt management issues warns that lack of communication between central banks and debt managers risks amplifying tightening cycles
S&P places Italy on negative outlook
Standard & Poor's places Italy’s long-term credit rating on negative outlook; analysts say downgrade not expected in near term
IMF approves €26 billion extended arrangement for Portugal
IMF agrees extended support of Portugal; political cooperation allow plans to progress
Greek reprofiling risks spreading contagion: Buba’s Weidmann
Bundesbank president Jens Weidmann says restructuring of Greece’s bonds would make it “impossible” to accept its debt as collateral at European Central Bank
Belarus gets $3 billion bailout from Russia
Russia agrees $3 billion dollar bailout for Belarus
Uganada’s Tumusiime-Mutebile on reforming debt markets
Bank of Uganda governor Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile calls for greater participation of brokers in debt markets
Greece programme not working: IMF
IMF mission to Greece urges sovereign to undertake further budgetary measures; European official hints at soft restructuring
Fitch ups Iceland default rating outlook to stable
Rating agency Fitch affirms Iceland rating; revises outlooks to stable from negative
Egypt asks IMF for loan
IMF announces Egypt has requested a loan of $10 billion-12 billion
Eurozone sovereign bailouts likely to stop at Portugal, say investors
The Eurozone crisis has already forced three members of the currency union to take EU/IMF bailouts but Spain, the next potential target of investors, is unlikely to follow
Finland supports Portuguese bailout; calls for international banking tax
National Coalition Party and Social Democratic Party agree to support bailout; want to see EU-wide banking tax “to collect funds from banks in advance in view of a possible future financial crisis”
IMF makes strong call for strengthened policy response in Europe
International Monetary Fund wants stronger financial integration to bolster Europe’s recovery; comes as officials gather in Greece to see progress
Greece will default, panellists say
Panellists at Fathom Consulting’s Monetary Policy Forum say Greece will default on debt; only a matter of by how much
Bailout package offers hope for Portugal
Lisbon accepts €78 billion bailout as part of deal to reduce deficit to 3% of GDP by 2013; analysts say preliminary terms of deal positive for sovereign
S&P puts Japan on negative outlook
Standard and Poor’s places Japan’s long-term credit rating on negative outlook; Bank of Japan governor Masaaki Shirakawa forecasts economy will contract in first two quarters
Greece deficit revision sparks default concerns from analysts
Eurostat revises Greece’s deficit to GDP upwards by almost a percentage point; analysts reiterate need for Greece to restructure debt