ATHENS: Greece’s era of austerity is over, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras claimed Friday, as he painted a positive picture of the reforms his government has agreed to take after the bailout program ends in 2018.
Speaking in Parliament, Tsipras described the deal reached Monday as an “exceptional success” and said it showed the country’s creditors accepted Greece’s insistence that it could no longer bear further budget austerity.
“I am fully convinced we achieved an honorable compromise,” Tsipras said, adding that all sides at the euro zone finance ministers’ meeting in Brussels had agreed for the “first time after seven years ... to leave the path of continued austerity behind us.”
On Monday, Greece agreed to legislate new reforms to come into effect in 2019, but said these will be fiscally neutral: For every euro’s worth of new burdens on the Greek taxpayer, an equal amount of relief will be granted.
In return, Greece’s creditors agreed to send their bailout inspectors back to Athens next week for further talks to complete a long overdue review of Greece’s progress in its bailout program.
Greece’s central bank chief warned Friday that the bailout talks must be concluded as soon as possible.
“If the negotiations drag on with no agreement in sight, then Greece will enter a new cycle of uncertainty, deteriorating relations with our partners and creditors and a backsliding of the economy into stagnation,” Yannis Stournaras said in a speech.
He warned that risks “also arise from delays and procrastination in implementing reforms already agreed on, or from distortions to competition that could hurt crucial sectors of the economy.”
Tsipras said both the new measures requested by creditors and the government-proposed relief measures will be legislated at the same time.
The prime minister’s left-led coalition government, trailing badly in polls, has presented Monday’s deal as a decisive, positive step forward for austerity-weary Greeks hammered by seven years of financial crisis that plunged the country into an economic depression.
No details have been provided of what the new reforms will entail, although there is widespread speculation they will include a broadening of the tax base and further pension and labor reforms.
Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos has provided no details of the upcoming reforms. Government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos on Tuesday said no specifics could be given as the reforms are subject to negotiation and agreement with the country’s creditors.
Greece has depended on three international bailout funds since 2010, when it became locked out of bond markets by sky-high borrowing rates.
In return for the rescue loans, it has had to overhaul its economy, imposing rounds of spending cuts and tax hikes. The austerity saw the economy contract by more than a quarter and sent unemployment soaring. The jobless figure now hovers at around 23 percent, down from a high of 27 percent.
Era of austerity is over: Tsipras
Era of austerity is over: Tsipras
Riyad Bank issues SR-denominated Tier 1 sukuk
RIYADH: Riyad Bank has commenced the issuance of its additional Tier 1 sukuk under its SR10 billion ($2.66 billion) Additional Tier 1 Capital Sukuk Program via a private placement in the Kingdom.
In a statement to Tadawul, the lender, one of the largest financial institutions in Saudi Arabia, said that the terms of the offer and the value of the sukuk would be determined based on market conditions.
The financial institution added that the offering, which commenced on Jan. 7, will run through Jan. 16, with a minimum subscription limit of SR250,000.
Sukuk, also known as an Islamic bond, is a Shariah-compliant debt product through which investors gain partial ownership of an issuer’s assets until maturity.
According to the statement, the bank has mandated Riyad Capital as the sole lead manager in relation to the offer and issuance of the sukuk.
The financial institution added that it will announce any other relevant material developments in due course.
The steady issuance of sukuk happening in the Kingdom falls in line with the views shared by Fitch Ratings in a report in October, which said that the distribution of these Islamic bonds is expected to grow in 2025, driven by US Federal Reserve rate cuts.
According to Fitch, interest rates are expected to be at 3.5 percent in 2025, resulting in a boost in sukuk issuances in the short term.
In December, Fitch Ratings affirmed Riyad Bank’s long-term issuer default rating at A- with a stable outlook.
The US-based agency said that the A- rating of the financial institution is attributed to the support it receives from Saudi Arabia’s government.
The report added that Saudi authorities’ strong ability and willingness to support domestic banks irrespective of size, franchise, funding structure, and level of government ownership also played a crucial role in the strong rating of Riyad Bank.
According to Fitch, an A- rating denotes expectations of low default risk and a strong ability to pay financial commitments.
In October, Riyad Bank announced that its net profit for the first nine months of 2024 reached SR7.06 billion, representing a rise of 16 percent compared to the same period of the previous year.
In December, an analysis by Kamco Invest projected that Saudi Arabia is expected to witness the greatest share of bond and sukuk maturities in the Gulf Cooperation Council region from 2025 to 2029 to reach $168 billion.
Oil Updates — prices dip as demand optimism fades
BEIJING/SINGAPORE: Oil prices eased on Tuesday, extending losses into a second consecutive session after last week’s rally, although concerns about tighter Russian and Iranian supply amid widening Western sanctions checked losses, according to Reuters.
Brent futures edged down 8 cents, or 0.1 percent, to $76.22 a barrel by 07:52 a.m. Saudi time, while US West Texas Intermediate crude fell 15 cents, or 0.19 percent, to $73.42.
Both benchmarks slid on Monday, after rising for five days in a row last week to settle at their highest levels since October on Friday amid expectations of more fiscal stimulus to revitalize China’s faltering economy.
“This week’s weakness is likely due to a technical correction, as traders react to softer economic data globally that undermines the optimism seen earlier,” said Priyanka Sachdeva, senior market analyst at Phillip Nova, referring to bearish economic news from the US and Germany.
Also dragging on oil prices is the rising supply from non-OPEC countries that, coupled with weak demand from China, is expected to keep the oil market well supplied this year.
Market participants are waiting for more data this week, such as the US December nonfarm payrolls report on Friday, for clues on US interest rate policy and oil demand outlook.
“The move higher in crude oil prices appears to be running out of momentum,” ING analysts wrote in a note.
“While there has been some tightening in the physical market, fundamentals through 2025 are still set to be comfortable, which should cap the upside.”
Worries over tightening Russian and Iranian supply amid sanctions, however, kept a floor under oil prices.
The uncertainty has translated into better demand for Middle Eastern oil, reflected in a hike in Saudi Arabia’s February oil prices to Asia, the first such increase in three months.
Money managers raised their net long US crude futures and options positions in the week to Dec. 31, the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission said on Monday.
Saudi Arabia issues $12bn three-part bond: NDMC
CAIRO: Saudi Arabia issued a $12 billion three-tranche bond, selling $5 billion, $3 billion and $4 billion in tenors of three, six and 10 years respectively, the National Debt Management Center said on Tuesday.
The total order book reached around $37 billion, equalling an over-subscription of three times the issuance, NDMC said in a statement.
The transaction is part of NDMC’s strategy to diversify the investor base and meet the Kingdom’s financing needs, it added.
Lucid beats estimates for EV deliveries as price cuts, cheaper financing spur demand
- Company handed over 3,099 vehicles in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31
- For 2024, production rose 7% to 9,029 vehicles, topping Lucid’s target of 9,000 vehicles
LONDON: Lucid Group beat expectations for quarterly deliveries on Monday, as the Saudi Arabia-backed maker of luxury electric vehicles lowered prices and offered cheaper financing to drive demand, sending its shares up more than 6 percent.
The company handed over 3,099 vehicles in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, compared with estimates of 2,637, according to six analysts polled by Visible Alpha. That represented growth of 11 percent over the third quarter and 78 percent higher than the fourth quarter a year earlier.
Production rose about 42 percent to 3,386 vehicles in the reported quarter from a year earlier, surpassing estimates of 2,904 units.
For 2024, production rose 7 percent to 9,029 vehicles, topping the company’s target of 9,000 vehicles. Annual deliveries grew 71 percent to 10,241 vehicles.
Lucid, backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, started taking orders for its Gravity SUV in November, in a bid to enter the lucrative SUV sector and take some market share from Rivian and Tesla.
Rivian on Friday topped analysts’ estimates for quarterly deliveries and said its production was no longer constrained by a component shortage. But Tesla reported its first fall in yearly deliveries, in part due to the company’s aging lineup.
Demand for EVs, already squeezed by competition from hybrid vehicles, could face another challenge as President-elect Donald Trump is expected to reverse many of the Biden administration’s EV-friendly policies and incentives.
The company also raised $1.75 billion in October through a stock sale that CEO Peter Rawlinson believes will provide Lucid with a “cash runway well into 2026.”
Lucid, whose stock was down about 28 percent in 2024, is scheduled to report its fourth-quarter results on Feb. 25.
Saudi Arabia’s PIF completes $7bn inaugural murabaha credit facility
- Shariah-compliant financing is backed by a syndicate of 20 international and regional financial institutions
- Facility builds on PIF’s recent success with sukuk issuances over the past two years
RIYADH: The Saudi Public Investment Fund has closed its first Murabaha credit facility, securing $7 billion in funding. This is a key step in the fund's plan to raise capital over the next several years.
The Shariah-compliant financing is backed by a syndicate of 20 international and regional financial institutions, according to a press release.
A murabaha credit facility is a financing structure compliant with Islamic principles, where the lender purchases an asset and sells it to the borrower at an agreed profit margin, allowing repayment in installments. This structure avoids interest, adhering to Shariah laws.
“This inaugural murabaha credit facility demonstrates the flexibility and depth of PIF’s financing strategy and use of diversified funding sources, as we continue to drive transformative investments, globally and in Saudi Arabia,” said Fahad Al-Saif, PIF’s head of the Global Capital Finance Division and head of Investment Strategy and Economic Insights Division.
The facility builds on PIF’s recent success with sukuk issuances over the past two years, further bolstering its financial strength and commitment to best practices in debt management.
Rated Aa3 by Moody’s and A+ by Fitch, both with stable outlooks, PIF continues to solidify its position as a global financial powerhouse.
The fund’s capital structure is supported by four main funding sources, including contributions from the Saudi government, asset transfers, retained investment earnings, and financing through loans and debt instruments.
PIF’s strategy focuses on financing initiatives that contribute to economic growth in Saudi Arabia and internationally.
The $7 billion murabaha credit facility is expected to bolster PIF’s liquidity, supporting its investments both locally and globally.
By diversifying its funding sources through a Shariah-compliant structure, PIF looks to enhance its financial partnerships while complementing its existing financing tools, such as sukuk issuances.
This aligns with its medium-term capital strategy, ensuring flexibility, competitive financing terms, and risk mitigation.
Earlier in January, the National Debt Management Center also secured a Shariah-compliant revolving credit facility worth SR9.4 billion ($2.5 billion).
The three-year facility, supported by three regional and international financial institutions, is designed to meet the Kingdom’s general budgetary requirements.
Aligned with Saudi Arabia’s medium-term public debt strategy, the arrangement focuses on diversifying funding sources to meet financing needs at competitive terms.
It also adheres to robust risk management frameworks and the Kingdom’s approved annual borrowing plan.
PIF has been actively engaging in credit arrangements to support its investment initiatives and the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 economic diversification plan.
In August 2024, PIF secured a $15 billion revolving credit facility for general corporate purposes, replacing a similar facility agreed upon in 2021.
In addition to the revolving credit facility, PIF has diversified its financing instruments by issuing a $2 billion seven-year Islamic sukuk earlier in 2024 and planning to issue bonds in pounds sterling.
These efforts are part of PIF’s strategy to leverage a variety of funding sources to support its expansive investment activities.
