CORRECT: Emerging-Market Debt Firms; European Currencies Gain
08 February 2012 - 9:38AM
Dow Jones News
Emerging European currencies strengthened Tuesday, tracking the
euro's strong gains amid market optimism.
Markets are still waiting for agreements on a Greek
debt-restructuring deal with private-sector creditors and a bailout
agreement for the debt-strapped country. A meeting among Greek
Prime Minister Lucas Papademos and the three party bosses
supporting his coalition government over the new loan deal was
pushed back, for the second time, to Wednesday. Still, the euro and
emerging European currencies strengthened.
"Market sentiment is reflecting confidence in the view that this
is a delay rather than a breakdown in the process to an agreement
on the terms of the bailout," said senior currency strategist
Stewart Gall of RBC Dominion Securities, in a note.
Emerging currencies, such as the Hungarian forint and Turkish
lira, made decent gains Tuesday, while Latin American currencies
were little changed on the day. Emerging-market sovereign-debt also
firmed, in line with the upbeat market tone.
But analysts warned that the recent rally for emerging markets
is vulnerable to event risks ahead.
"This whole move is very vulnerable to a correction to the
downside," said Carolin Hecht, strategist with Commerzbank.
Emerging-market sovereign debt strengthened, with the spread on
the J.P. Morgan Emerging Markets Bond Index Global, or Embig,
tightening by eight basis points to 382 basis points over
Treasurys. In price terms, the index slipped 0.1%. Hungary
outperformed, as its spread narrowed by 27 basis points to 552
basis points over Treasurys, while its index jumped 1.1%.
Emerging-market debt issuance continued Tuesday, keeping up a
steady pace of supply for 2012.
Hong Kong property giant Henderson Land Development Co. (HLDCY,
0012.HK) sold a $400 million five-year global bond at 99.215 to
yield 4.929%, according to a term sheet seen by Dow Jones
Newswires. Henderson Land MTN Ltd. was the issuer of the offering,
which is guaranteed by Henderson Land Development Co.
Abu Dhabi-based Dolphin Energy, a regional natural-gas
production and pipeline company, also tapped international markets
with a new 10-year bond Tuesday, the first benchmark-sized
conventional issue this year from a Gulf Arab company, according to
bankers familiar with the deal.
Among currencies, the Hungarian forint outperformed, edging up
0.8% against the euro, which traded at HUF290.27 late Tuesday,
according to CQG. Because Hungary's government has appeared "more
diplomatic" regarding the International Monetary Fund's request for
reforms, the forint has been able to slip back into its role as a
currency that is "able to trade with wider market sentiment,"
Commerzbank's Hecht said.
The Turkish lira advanced 0.5% against the dollar, while the
Polish zloty firmed 0.4% versus the euro. The Russia ruble, on the
back of strong oil prices, advanced against the dollar, which
weakened 0.9% to RUB29.825 late Tuesday.
Major Latin American currencies, however, were little changed
against the dollar. The Brazilian real was steady around the
BRL1.72 level against the dollar, as Brazil's central bank stayed
out of the market Tuesday after intervening in the two preceding
sessions. The Mexican peso was also nearly flat on the day, after
paring its earlier gains.
-By Erin McCarthy, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2712;
erin.mccarthy@dowjones.com @djfxtrader
--Nikhil Lohade and Asa Fitch contributed to this article.
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