World News Insights
1-3 Minute Gist

All Topics Article

'Voluntary' Greece Deal Seen Overstated

Wall Street Journal Original article ›

Keywords:

LyrArc Article Gist
Experts say there may not be much difference whether a voluntary deal is reached between Greece and the Institute of International Finance or a deal is forced on private bondholders by Greece for the 93% of Greek bonds that are based on Greek laws. Most of the large banks that hold Greek bonds will be subject to persuasion by European authorites (EU, ECB) to accept the deal offered by Greece that brings debt down to 120% of GDP by 2020. The remaining holdouts are the hedge funds that will want to opt out of a voluntary arrangement anyway, because a forced deal by Greece would allow them to collect payments on their credit default swaps. Adam Lerrick, an expert on sovereign debt restructurings, says the hedge funds and other private bondholders are framing the discussion into one of a voluntary agreement that is orderly and an involuntary agreement that is disorderly, as a tactic to scare the European authorites (the EU, ECB) and Greece. He says not only can forced restructurings be orderly, but in this case the improved prospects for Greece with serious debt reduction would lead to a ratings upgrade for Greece. Some hedge funds have said they will sue if forced into the deal. Michael Waibel, at the Lauerpacht Centre for International Law at Cambridge University, says the case would first go to Greek courts where it would be received without much sympathy, and then to the European Court of Human Rights. Only the small number of bonds under Swiss and English law with pari passu clauses insisting on equal treatment of bondholders have any prospects, and even then legal enforcement of any awards is uncertain as shown in the case of Argentina. The 93% of bonds under Greek law have no such clauses and this gives Greece the option for special treatment of bonds held by the ECB.

BNP Paribas, credit default swaps and bondholders for Greece's debt- tactics and asymmetry

11/19/2011

Grouped Articles

Greek Government Bonds Pay Off Big for Fund Managers

Wall Street Journal 10/28/2013

Credit Default Swaps as a Scare Tactic in Greece

New York Times 11/19/2011

French Banks Thrust Into Limelight

Wall Street Journal 01/14/2012

'Voluntary' Greece Deal Seen Overstated

Wall Street Journal 01/20/2012

Bet on Greek Bonds Paid Off for a Vulture Fund

New York Times 05/15/2012

BNP Paribas Profit Crunched Amid an Overhaul

Wall Street Journal 08/03/2012

Greece's debt crisis in 2012 after the agreement with private creditors to take 50% of the losses on Greek bonds is not enough to reduce debt to sustainable levels

06/30/2011

Bondholders accepting 50% of losses- as agreed with EU leaders in Nov-Dec 2011 -will not be enough for Greece to meet its debt obligations, because of a fast deteriorating economy. By March 20, 2012, 14.5 billion euros of bonds come up for repayment or refinancing. More money will be needed from the EU. The voluntary exchange by private creditors of existing bonds for new bonds with 50% face value and maturing over a longer period will be made under an agreement using English law. This will be harder to change in the future, putting the burden on any future financing shortfall on EU countries unwilling to make further commitments to Greece.

Grouped Articles

Greek Bonds Soar After Fitch Upgrade

Wall Street Journal 05/15/2013

EU Dismisses IMF's Criticism On Greek Bailout

Wall Street Journal 06/07/2013

Policy ‘Troika’ for Europe Financial Woes at Odds

New York Times 06/07/2013

Greek Government Bonds Pay Off Big for Fund Managers

Wall Street Journal 10/28/2013

Europe Fears Rising Greek Cost

Wall Street Journal 01/11/2012

Greek Debt Talks Break Down

Wall Street Journal 01/14/2012

The growing debate over bondholder haircut, easy money policies, sacrifices, and austerity policies.

11/25/2010

This debate puts British prime minister Cameron, and German chancellor Angela Merkel, on one side, with US President Obama, US central bank chairman Bernanke and other leaders on the other side. The blanket Irish guarantee of all Irish bank debt is an example of improper action that could have prevented the need for an Irish bailout, when guaranteeing only retail Irish bank debt would have worked. Merkel has insisted on bondholders sharing in bank losses, and tougher action required for countries receiving bailouts.

Grouped Articles

A Crisis Needing More Sacrifice

New York Times 11/25/2010

Crises Shake German Trust in Euro Zone

New York Times 11/26/2010

EU Outlines Bond Restructuring Plan

Wall Street Journal 11/28/2010

Europe Backs Irish Rescue and New Rules on Bailouts

New York Times 11/28/2010

Spain, Italy Seek Action

Wall Street Journal 12/02/2010

'Contagion' and Other Euro Myths

Wall Street Journal 12/02/2010

Charles Dallara of the Institute of International Finance's assessment of the Greece and eurozone debt restructuring of July 2011 and the Greece bailout in 2015

06/30/2011

Grouped Articles

Personalities Clashing Over How to Handle New Greek Bailout

New York Times 07/23/2015

Greek Bailout Negotiator Sees Benefits for Banks

New York Times 07/24/2011

Some Bailout Providers May One Day Need Help Too

New York Times 07/24/2011

Plan for Greece Favors Creditors

New York Times 07/25/2011

In Greek Debt Deal, Clear Benefits for the Banks

New York Times 07/25/2011

The Euro Crisis: Big Rescue, Big Doubts

BusinessWeek 07/28/2011


Support LyrArc

We took a different way to help millions around the world build educated informed mindsets that affects and shapes their lives. For a future that is open, global and digital, with everyone having access to high quality information. We believe in the renewal of America, renewal of Europe, the renewal of India, the rest of Asia, Latin America and Africa. The renewal of our supply chains, health, education, infrastructure, as we rebuild our countries after the pandemic. Literacy and knowledge we believe cannot thrive and grow in a world of web bots, web crawlers, or AI. This requires human curiosity, human learning, and human imagination. We take as inspiration the saying- “One has to be free, and as broad as sky. One has to have a mind that is crystal clear, only then can truth shine in it.” Every contribution whether big or small is precious- in this crisis and ahead.

Support Lyrarc from as small as $1


Copyright © 2006 - 2026 Intelilinks LLC
Terms and Conditions | Copyright Policy | Privacy Policy | Contact Us