Russia plans return to debt markets

Published: January 7, 2010

Russia is expected to return to the international debt markets for the first time in a decade.

Reports claim Russia has invited as many as 20 global investment banks to pitch for the mandate to lead an impending bond issue. Russia’s own VTB Capital is rumoured to be a likely lead manager.

Aleksey Kudrin, Russia’s finance minister, has said the country plans to borrow some US$18bn on the international markets this year. Analysts, however, have said the figures is likely to be less – perhaps up to US$7bn.