The initial pricing of Hungary's Samurai bond is set at nine toeleven basis points above the yen swaps, Reuters reports, quoting unnamed source close to the transaction. Daiwa Securities and Nikko Citigroup lead managed the 7-year 25 billion yen issue, but the offered amount could be increased. According to earlier press reports the deal is expected to close on March 7th. Last year Hungary tapped the Japanese market with combined 75 billion yen issue in five- and seven-year instruments with the latter priced at 14 basis points above Yen Libor.
Ukraine economy minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk confirmed his recent GDP growth forecast at 2.6% for 2006. Inflation will be lower than in the previous year, Yatsenyuk said. Inflation amounted to 10.3% in 2005. The minister had promised to announce the MinistryÕs official macroeconomic forecast for 2006 in February, but said today that the forecast will be presented after the National Bank of Ukraine publishes the balance of payments data for full 2005. The National Bank's data is expected at the end of March or in early April.