Headlines

A panel of investors said on Friday that it expects to hold an auction to settle credit default swaps (CDS) related to Russia's defaulted debt in the first half of September, as it continues to work on the auction setup, Reuters reported. The Credit Derivatives Determinations Committee (CDDC) said the exact date is yet to be determined, according to a statement on its website. The auction, a usual way to settle CDS, was thrown into chaos in June when Washington said its sanctions on Russia imposed a total ban on U.S. entities buying Moscow's debt.

An apex court order giving the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) discretion over admission of insolvency cases even when default is proven has shaken bankers and lawyers, the Economic Times of India reported. They said that the ruling could deflate an already delayed process under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) and will most likely be used by unscrupulous promoters to argue against the admission of cases, potentially denting the potency of the dedicated recovery mechanism.

The Dubai-owned company P&O Ferries will not face any criminal action over its decision to sack nearly 800 British workers without notice, the Insolvency Service has said, the Epoch Times reported. P&O Ferries, which was bought by Dubai-based logistics giant DP World in 2019, sparked outrage on March 17 when it fired 800 seafarers without any prior notice and replaced them with cheaper agency workers, citing £100 million ($132 million) year-on-year loss.

Britain's Financial Conduct Authority said on Friday it had fined Citigroup Global Markets 12.5 million pounds ($15 million) for past failures to properly apply rules aimed at spotting suspicious trading in shares and commodities, Reuters reported. Banks are required to implement rules introduced in 2016 and known as the market abuse regulation (MAR) to monitor for potential insider trading and market manipulation. But until January 2018, the London-based international broker dealer arm of U.S.

Turkey's central bank is expected to take steps soon to bring lending costs closer to its newly cut policy rate, especially for some corporate loans, three bankers told Reuters, after the bank said spreads between the two rates had widened, Reuters reported. The central bank unexpectedly cut its policy rate by 100 basis points to 13% on Thursday, despite 80% inflation. It cited the widening gap between its policy rate and rising lending rates as having reduced the effectiveness of its monetary policy.

An Ebbw Vale haulier business has collapsed due to soaring fuel costs. The winding up of Scott Commercials has resulted in the loss of 10 jobs with insolvency firm Begbies Traynor appointed liquidators, BusinessLive.com reported. Established in 2013 Scott Commercials provided road haulage services to transport operators across the UK. The liquidation is being handled by Bristol-based partner Paul Wood and Cardiff-based partner Huw Powell. They said that recent rises in PAYE, fuel, ad-blue (fuel additive) and tyres had created significant cash flow issues for the business.

Egypt’s president on Thursday appointed a caretaker governor of the central bank, the president’s office said, a day after the bank’s chief resigned amid a grinding economic crisis triggered by Russia’s war on Ukraine, the Associated Press reported. According to a statement, President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi named Hassan Abdullah to succeed Tarek Amer, who had held the post since 2015. The appointment still needs to be ratified by the state-controlled parliament, which is in recess until October.

Sri Lanka’s central bank chief said Thursday he is hopeful the crisis-ridden island nation can reach a preliminary agreement that could lead to a bailout package with the International Monetary Fund when officials from the financial institution visit Sri Lanka later this month, the Associated Press reported. The Indian Ocean country is facing its worst economic crisis and has been negotiating with the IMF while government leaders in Colombo have said Sri Lanka is effectively bankrupt.

Spain's trade deficit in the first six months of the year widened almost six-fold from the same period a year earlier to 32 billion euros ($32.6 billion), the Industry Ministry said on Thursday, Reuters reported. The outcome was wider than the deficit for the whole of 2021 and compared with a 5.4 billion euro deficit in the first six months a year ago, the ministry said in its monthly report. Excluding energy imports and exports, the trade deficit in the period was 6.1 billion euros, the ministry said.

Turkey’s central bank on Thursday lowered its key interest rate despite inflation surging to nearly 80% and making it difficult for people to buy what they need, falling in line with the unorthodox economic views of the country’s president, the Associated Press reported. In a statement following a monetary policy committee meeting, the bank said it decided to reduce the policy rate from 14% to 13%. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has pressured the bank into lowering borrowing costs in a bid to boost economic growth, investment and exports, insisting that interest rate hikes cause inflation.