BLBG: East Europe Day Ahead: Ruble Bond Sales Fails on Lowest Yield
Following are the top stories on central and eastern Europe.
Top Central/Eastern Europe and Top Emerging Markets
Ruble Bond Sale Fails on Lowest Yield to Market: Russia Credit
Russia failed to sell any 2016 ruble bonds at an auction today and issued less than 1 percent of its three-year notes after offering the lowest yields relative to market rates since it began providing guidance to investors three months ago.
Boeing May Win $5 Billion Order From Aeroflot, Vedomosti Says
OAO Aeroflot, Russia’s largest airline, agreed to buy as many as 20 long-range aircraft from Boeing Co. to expand its fleet before the 2014 Winter Olympics in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Vedomosti reported.
Rusal Says Aluminum ETF May Lock Up 2-3 Million Tons of Stocks
United Co. Rusal said the possible launch of aluminum exchange-traded funds in 2011 may lock 2 to 3 million tons of the metal for “several years,” according to a statement filed to the Hong Kong stock exchange.
Poland Picks EDF for Exclusive Talks to Buy Power Utility Enea
Poland’s government chose Electricite de France SA for exclusive talks to buy its 51 percent stake in the country’s third-largest utility Enea SA, the Treasury Ministry said on its website late yesterday.
Eastern European Stock Markets
Poland’s WIG20 rose 0.4 percent, the Czech PX Index climbed 0.3 percent and Hungary’s BUX Index dropped 0.4 percent. The 30- stock Micex Index rose to 1,670.3 in Moscow.
OAO Polyus Gold (PLZL RX): Gold fell the most in a week, declining 1 percent to $1,390.50 on the Comex in New York, on speculation that the dollar will extend a rally, eroding demand for the precious metal as an alternative asset. Shares of Russia’s biggest gold producer fell 0.7 percent to 1,843.94 rubles.
OAO Rosneft (ROSN RX): Crude oil rose, with the January futures contract adding 0.4 percent to $88.60 a barrel after the close of trading in Moscow, following a U.S. government report showing supplies plunged the most since 2002 as imports fell and refineries bolstered fuel output. Share of Russia’s biggest oil company fell 1.1 percent to 218.79 rubles. OAO Lukoil, the country’s second-biggest crude producer, rose 0.5 percent to 1,754.08 rubles.
OAO Sberbank (SBER03 RX) may be interested in bidding for Oesterreichische Volksbanken AG’s eastern Europe unit, Der Standard newspaper reported, citing unidentified bankers familiar with the planned sale. Russia’s biggest lender gained 0.3 percent to 107.67 rubles.
World Markets
Asian Stocks, Copper Decline Before European Debt Crisis Talks
Asian stocks and copper declined, while Treasuries snapped a two-day drop, before European Union leaders meet to discuss the region’s debt crisis and the U.S. publishes data that may show jobless claims rose.
Dollar Is Near 3-Month High Versus Yen Before U.S. Housing Data
The dollar traded near a three-month high against the yen before data that economists said will show U.S. housing starts and building permits rose last month.
Treasuries Gain Before Job Data; Yields Fall From 7-Month High
Treasuries rose, pushing benchmark yields down from a seven-month high, before a government report that economists said will show more U.S. workers filed for jobless benefits last week.
India to Review Sugar-Export Plans as Output Rebounds (Update1)
India, the world’s second-biggest sugar producer, plans to review its export policy in January amid projections that output will top domestic demand for the first time in three years.
Newspaper Highlights
Rafako Raises Financing to Buy Polish Utility PAK, Parkiet Says
Rafako SA, a Polish power engineering company, secured financing to buy a 50 percent stake in utility ZE PAK SA from the country’s government, Parkiet reported, citing Zygmunt Solorz-Zak, the billionaire who controls both companies.
Polish Regulator to Decide on PGE Energa Buy in 2011, Rp.pl Says
The Polish antitrust regulator will delay until January its decision on whether to approve the acquisition of Energa SA by the country’s largest power utility PGE SA, Rp.pl reported, without saying where it got the information.
Kim Jong Il May Consider Allowing IAEA Inspectors, Yonhap Says
North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has expressed willingness to consider inviting United Nations nuclear inspectors, who were kicked out of the country in April 2009, Yonhap News reported.
German Financial Transaction Tax Proposal Takes Shape, FTD Says
Germany’s financial-transaction tax plan is taking shape as Finance Ministry experts and banking representatives reached a preliminary agreement on details of a proposed levy, Financial Times Deutschland reported.
Poland’s Tusk Warns Against European Division, Welt Reports
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned against a division within the European Union between member states inside and outside the currency union, Die Welt reported.
Juncker Calls for More Frequent Euro Summits, Handelsblatt Says
Luxembourg’s Jean-Claude Juncker, who leads the group of euro-area finance ministers, called for more frequent meetings among leaders of nations that share the euro, Handelsblatt reported. More euro summits would “make sense” to better handle problems facing the European single currency, he told the newspaper.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Douglas Lytle in Prague 1 at dlytle@bloomberg.net