Growing up awkward

Russia's nascent corporate bond market has been stunted by illiquidity, high yields, short maturities, punitive taxation, early put options and the lack of a properly functioning banking sector. And it is about to face its greatest test.

THE EVENT WAS a panel discussion of Russian debt held in Moscow in early September. Bankers and issuers were speaking with conviction about the rapid growth of Russia’s infant domestic corporate bond market and diplomatically outlining potential pitfalls. Sergey Pakhomov, chairman of municipal debt at the City of Moscow, was the last to speak. He didn’t pull any punches.

“I’m very pessimistic about the development of the Russian corporate debt market – it has a lot of time bombs hidden in it,” he said.

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