The credit concerns that have dominated the swap markets for the last couple of weeks alleviated this week, and swap spreads contracted in both euros and dollars. Once again, however, it was an extremely quiet week in the debt markets so swaps were robbed of flow from this source. Yesterday (Thursday), it was announced that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had approved a $30bn loan to Brazil, which is the largest in the history of the organisation. Brazilian stocks, bonds and the currency surged as a result of this action and it is hoped that default will now be evaded.
August 09, 2002