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Now that the drama over The Fed Chair selection is over, we can focus of other earthly matters, like Greece sovereign debt restructuring.
(Bloomberg) — The Greek government is planning an unprecedented debt swap worth 29.7 billion euros ($34.5 billion) aimed at boosting the liquidity of its paper and easing the sale of new bonds in the future.
Under a project that could be launched in mid November, the government plans to swap 20 bonds issued after a restructuring of Greek debt held by private investors in 2012 with as many as five new fixed-coupon bonds, according to two senior bankers with knowledge of the swap plan. The bank officials requested anonymity as the plan has yet to be made public. The maturities of the new bonds may be the same as for the existing notes, which range from 2023 to 2042.
“The move aims to address the current illiquidity of the Greek bond market,” according to analysts at Pantelakis Securities SA in Athens. It will also “establish a decent yield curve, thus facilitating the country’s return to public debt markets.”
The move comes as Greece prepares for life after the end of its current bailout program in August 2018. The debt swap is a step toward the country’s full return to markets required to avoid a new bailout program. The government plans to tap the bond market in 2018 to raise at least 6 billion euros to create an adequate buffer to honor debt obligations, according to a government official.
The 10 year Greek Sovereign yield is down to its lowest levels since 2009.
While the Greek debt-to-GDP ratio is >180% (as of 12/16).
The Greek unemployment rate remains above 20%.
While swapping their debt can result in more liquidity and lower rates, the humming dragon of excessive debt-to-GDP still hovers over Greece like a hot plate of saganaki,
Opa!
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