Strong demand for Ireland bond issue
Ireland’s exit from ‘troika’ bailout programme has been followed by the issue of the country’s first government bond – perking investor’s interest.
Ireland’s exit from ‘troika’ bailout programme has been followed by the issue of the country’s first government bond – perking investor’s interest.
Ireland will officially become the first eurozone country to exit the bailout programme this weekend, as the 85bn (£71bn) loan facility set up by the troika of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Commission and the European Central Bank (ECB) expires.
Cyprus may have so far avoided a ‘disasterous exit from the eurozone’, but commentators warn that its economy will shrink rapidly as offshore banking, its main industry is effectively shut down following a bailout deal worth 10bn.
The IMF and European Central Banks have fallen out over the region’s banks’ sovereign debt exposure.
European governments have signed off on a 700bn bailout fund that will not kick in until 2013.
Ratings agency Moody’s has cut Portugal’s long-term government debt to below investment grade.
Greek ministers voted “Yes” to a five-year plan of austerity measures of tax rises and spending cuts
Mark Holman looks at the issues facing Greece as its next quarterly EU/IMF bailout payment falls due
Greece’s 100bn bailout package has been greeted positively by markets and country leaders alike.
A Greek default has been called a ‘Lehman moment’ but it may prove to be a new beginning.