/raid1/www/Hosts/bankrupt/TCRLA_Public/240101.mbx
T R O U B L E D C O M P A N Y R E P O R T E R
L A T I N A M E R I C A
Monday, January 1, 2024, Vol. 25, No. 1
Headlines
B A H A M A S
FTX GROUP: Bankman-Fried's Sentencing Hearing Delay Bid Declined
B R A Z I L
BRAZIL: Charts Inflation Decline in 2023
BRAZIL: Unemployment Drops 7.5% in Quarter Ending November
X X X X X X X X
LATAM: Aviation Industry Calls for Changes
LATAM: Exports Fell Almost 3% for January to June 2023
[*] BOND PRICING COLUMN: For the Week Dec. 25 to Dec. 29, 2023
- - - - -
=============
B A H A M A S
=============
FTX GROUP: Bankman-Fried's Sentencing Hearing Delay Bid Declined
----------------------------------------------------------------
Katryna Perera of Law360 reports that a New York federal judge on
December 20, 2023, quickly rejected Sam Bankman-Fried's
request for a six-week sentencing adjournment, posting his denial
order before the motion was officially docketed, saying that the
defense has already been granted one extension and has had plenty
of time to prepare for the upcoming scheduled dates.
About FTX Group
FTX is the world's second-largest cryptocurrency firm. FTX is a
cryptocurrency exchange built by traders, for traders. FTX offers
innovative products including industry-first derivatives, options,
volatility products and leveraged tokens.
Then CEO and co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried said Nov. 10, 2022, that
FTX paused customer withdrawals after it was hit with roughly $5
billion worth of withdrawal requests.
Faced with liquidity issues, FTX on Nov. 9 struck a deal to sell
itself to its giant rival Binance, but Binance walked away from
the
deal amid reports on FTX regarding mishandled customer funds and
alleged US agency investigations.
At 4:30 a.m. on Nov. 11, Bankman-Fried ultimately agreed to step
aside, and restructuring vet John J. Ray III was quickly named new
CEO.
FTX Trading Ltd (d/b/a FTX.com), West Realm Shires Services Inc.
(d/b/a FTX US), Alameda Research Ltd. and certain affiliated
companies then commenced Chapter 11 proceedings (Bankr. D. Del.
Lead Case No. 22-11068) on an emergency basis on Nov. 11, 2022.
Additional entities sought Chapter 11 protection on Nov. 14, 2022.
FTX Trading and its affiliates each listed $10 billion to $50
billion in assets and liabilities, making FTX the biggest
bankruptcy filer in the US this year.
According to Reuters, SBF shared a document with investors on Nov.
10, 2022, showing FTX had $13.86 billion in liabilities and $14.6
billion in assets. However, only $900 million of those assets
were
liquid, leading to the cash crunch that ended with the company
filing for bankruptcy.
The Hon. John T. Dorsey is the case judge.
The Debtors tapped Sullivan & Cromwell, LLP as bankruptcy counsel;
Landis Rath & Cobb, LLP as local counsel; and Alvarez & Marsal
North America, LLC as financial advisor. Kroll is the claims
agent, maintaining the page
https://cases.ra.kroll.com/FTX/Home-Index
The Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors tapped Paul Hastings
as counsel, FTI Consulting, Inc., as financial advisor, and
Jefferies LLC as the investment banker. Young Conaway Stargatt &
Taylor LLP is the Committee's Delaware and conflicts counsel.
Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads LLP, led by partners Gregory
T. Donilon, Edward L. Schnitzer, and David M. Banker, is
representing Sam Bankman-Fried in the Chapter 11 cases.
White-collar crime specialist Mark S. Cohen has reportedly been
hired to represent SBF in litigation. Lawyers at Paul Weiss
previously represented SBF but later renounced representing the
entrepreneur due to a conflict of interest.
===========
B R A Z I L
===========
BRAZIL: Charts Inflation Decline in 2023
----------------------------------------
Richard Mann at Rio Times Online reports that Brazil's IPCA-15, a
key inflation indicator, rose 0.40% in December, leading to a
preliminary annual rate of 4.72%.
This marks a decrease from the previous year's 5.90%, as the
Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics IBGE reported,
according to Rio Times Online.
December's slight increase, 0.07 percentage points higher than
November, was mostly due to a surge in airfare prices, the report
notes.
Despite this, fuel costs offered some relief by falling 0.27%, with
decreases in diesel, ethanol, and gasoline prices, the report
relays.
About Brazil
Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world and third largest
in the Americas. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won the 2022 Brazilian
general election. He was sworn in on January 1, 2023, as the 39th
president of Brazil, succeeding Jair Bolsonaro.
S&P Global Ratings raised on Dec. 19, 2023, its long-term global
scale ratings on Brazil to 'BB' from 'BB-'. The outlook on the
long-term ratings is stable. S&P affirmed Brazil's global scale
short-term ratings at 'B' and its national scale long-term rating
at 'brAAA'. S&P also raised the transfer and convertibility
assessment on the country to 'BBB-' from 'BB+'. S&P said, "The
stable outlook reflects our expectation that Brazil will maintain a
strong external position, thanks to strong commodity output and
limited external financing needs. We also believe Brazil's
institutional framework can sustain stable and pragmatic
policymaking based on extensive checks and balances across the
executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. We
expect a very gradual fiscal correction but anticipate fiscal
deficits will remain large."
Fitch Ratings affirmed on Dec. 15, 2023, Brazil's Long-Term
Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at 'BB' with a Stable
Outlook. Fitch said Brazil's ratings are supported by its large and
diverse economy, high per-capita income, and deep domestic markets
and a large cash cushion that support the sovereign's financing
flexibility and its high local-currency debt share. Strong external
finances support resilience to shocks, underpinned by a flexible
exchange rate, robust international reserves and a sovereign net
external creditor position. The ratings are constrained by weak
economic growth potential, relatively low governance scores, high
and rising government debt/GDP, and budgetary rigidities. A new
fiscal framework introduced this year aims to anchor a gradual
consolidation process and address these fiscal weaknesses, but its
effectiveness is increasingly unclear.
Moody's credit rating for Brazil was last set at Ba2 in 2018 with
stable outlook. Moody's affirmed the Ba2 issuer ratings and
senior unsecured bond ratings in April 2022.
DBRS Inc., on August 15, 2023, upgraded Brazil's Long-Term
Foreign and Local Currency - Issuer Ratings to BB from BB (low).
At the same time, DBRS Morningstar confirmed Brazil's
Short-term Foreign and Local Currency - Issuer Ratings at R-4.
The trend on all ratings is Stable (March 2018).
BRAZIL: Unemployment Drops 7.5% in Quarter Ending November
----------------------------------------------------------
Richard Mann at Rio Times Online reports that Brazil recently
reported a drop in its unemployment rate to 7.5% for the quarter
ending in November.
The Brazilian stats agency IBGE shared these findings, according to
Rio Times Online. They are from the Continuous National Household
Sample Survey, the report relays.
This quarter is the third in a row where joblessness has fallen,
the report discloses. The rate decreased by 0.2 percentage points
from the previous quarter, the report adds.
About Brazil
Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world and third largest
in the Americas. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won the 2022 Brazilian
general election. He was sworn in on January 1, 2023, as the 39th
president of Brazil, succeeding Jair Bolsonaro.
S&P Global Ratings raised on Dec. 19, 2023, its long-term global
scale ratings on Brazil to 'BB' from 'BB-'. The outlook on the
long-term ratings is stable. S&P affirmed Brazil's global scale
short-term ratings at 'B' and its national scale long-term rating
at 'brAAA'. S&P also raised the transfer and convertibility
assessment on the country to 'BBB-' from 'BB+'. S&P said, "The
stable outlook reflects our expectation that Brazil will maintain a
strong external position, thanks to strong commodity output and
limited external financing needs. We also believe Brazil's
institutional framework can sustain stable and pragmatic
policymaking based on extensive checks and balances across the
executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. We
expect a very gradual fiscal correction but anticipate fiscal
deficits will remain large."
Fitch Ratings affirmed on Dec. 15, 2023, Brazil's Long-Term
Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at 'BB' with a Stable
Outlook. Fitch said Brazil's ratings are supported by its large and
diverse economy, high per-capita income, and deep domestic markets
and a large cash cushion that support the sovereign's financing
flexibility and its high local-currency debt share. Strong external
finances support resilience to shocks, underpinned by a flexible
exchange rate, robust international reserves and a sovereign net
external creditor position. The ratings are constrained by weak
economic growth potential, relatively low governance scores, high
and rising government debt/GDP, and budgetary rigidities. A new
fiscal framework introduced this year aims to anchor a gradual
consolidation process and address these fiscal weaknesses, but its
effectiveness is increasingly unclear.
Moody's credit rating for Brazil was last set at Ba2 in 2018 with
stable outlook. Moody's affirmed the Ba2 issuer ratings and
senior unsecured bond ratings in April 2022.
DBRS Inc., on August 15, 2023, upgraded Brazil's Long-Term
Foreign and Local Currency - Issuer Ratings to BB from BB (low).
At the same time, DBRS Morningstar confirmed Brazil's
Short-term Foreign and Local Currency - Issuer Ratings at R-4.
The trend on all ratings is Stable (March 2018).
===============
X X X X X X X X
===============
LATAM: Aviation Industry Calls for Changes
------------------------------------------
Juan Martinez at Rio Times Online reports that in Latin America,
the aviation industry, led by the Panama-based ALTA, faces multiple
policy challenges that require urgent attention.
Key concerns include over-regulation, higher taxes, supply-chain
issues, and soaring fuel costs, according to Rio Times Online.
Specific challenges exemplify these obstacles, like Mexico City's
aircraft movement limitations and Brazil's increased ticket taxes,
adds the report.
LATAM: Exports Fell Almost 3% for January to June 2023
------------------------------------------------------
RJR News reports that export from Latin America and the Caribbean
fell by almost three per cent for the first six months of 2023.
The Inter-American Development Bank's recently published Trade and
Integration Monitor 2023, showed that while the region's exports
recovered after the pandemic, they have since weakened faster than
expected, according to RJR News.
The value of the region's goods exports grew by 2.7 per cent for
the first half of the year, versus the similar period in 2022, the
report notes.
That's compared to the 28 per cent full year growth in 2021, and 17
per cent for 2022, the report relays.
The IDB says this decline is due to a 4.7 per cent fall in prices
and more moderate growth in export volumes than the previous year,
the report says.
The region's growth in export volumes was primarily driven by
Brazil and Mexico, whereas volumes contracted in several other
countries, the report adds.
[*] BOND PRICING COLUMN: For the Week Dec. 25 to Dec. 29, 2023
--------------------------------------------------------------
Issuer Cpn Price Maturity Country Curr
------ --- ----- -------- ------- ----
Galaxy Digital 3 62.5 12/15/2026 KY USD
Generacion 9.9 73.1 12/01/2027 AR USD
Generacion 12.5 0 02/16/2024 AR USD
Gol Finance Inc 8.8 40.5 KY USD
Gol Finance Inc 8.8 42 KY USD
Goldman Sachs 2.3 75.9 06/30/2040 KY EUR
Greenland Hong Kong 10.2 45.9 KY USD
Guacolda Energia SA 4.6 40.8 04/30/2025 CL USD
Guacolda Energia SA 4.6 40.8 04/30/2025 CL USD
Earls Eight 1.7 71.4 06/20/2032 KY AUD
Ecopetrol SA 4.6 75 11/02/2031 CO USD
Ecopetrol SA 5.9 63.9 11/02/2051 CO USD
Ecopetrol SA 5.9 65.5 05/28/2045 CO USD
Three Gorges Finance 3.2 74.2 10/16/2049 KY USD
Telecom Argentina SA 1 56.5 02/10/2028 AR USD
Telecom Argentina SA 1 64.2 03/09/2027 AR USD
eHi Car Services 7 64.9 09/21/2026 KY USD
Earls Eight 2.3 75.2 05/20/2032 KY AUD
KWG Group Holdings 7.4 15.8 01/13/2027 KY USD
KWG Group Holdings 6 40.8 01/14/2024 KY USD
KWG Group Holdings 5.9 22.2 11/10/2024 KY USD
KWG Group Holdings 6.3 17.6 02/13/2026 KY USD
KWG Group Holdings 7.4 26.5 03/05/2024 KY USD
KWG Group Holdings 6 19.4 08/10/2025 KY USD
KWG Group Holdings 6 16.8 08/14/2026 KY USD
KWG Group Holdings 7.9 27.5 08/30/2024 KY USD
KWG Group Holdings 7.9 60.2 09/01/2023 KY USD
MSU Energy SA 6.9 71.2 02/01/2025 AR USD
Jamaica Government 8.5 68.9 12/21/2061 JM JMD
Jamaica Government 6.3 72.7 07/11/2048 JM JMD
China Maple Leaf 2.3 75 01/27/2026 KY USD
China SCE Group 6 29 02/04/2026 KY USD
China SCE Group 7.4 56.2 04/09/2024 KY USD
China SCE Group 7 35.2 05/02/2025 KY USD
China SCE Group 6 42.9 09/29/2024 KY USD
Colombia Bond 7.3 71.3 10/18/2034 CO COP
Colombia Bond 7.3 71.3 10/18/2034 CO COP
Colombia Bond 7.3 61.5 10/26/2050 CO COP
Colombia Bond 7.3 61.5 10/26/2050 CO COP
Colombia Bond 3.9 54.8 02/15/2061 CO USD
Colombia Bond 4.1 61.9 02/22/2042 CO USD
Colombia Bond 5.6 72.7 02/26/2044 CO USD
Colombia Bond 3.1 74 04/15/2031 CO USD
Colombia Bond 3.3 72.1 04/22/2032 CO USD
Colombia Bond 5.2 67.3 05/15/2049 CO USD
Colombia Bond 4.1 58.8 05/15/2051 CO USD
Colombia Bond 5 66.9 06/15/2045 CO USD
Colombia Bond 6.3 63 07/09/2036 CO COP
Colombia Bond 6.3 63 07/09/2036 CO COP
Itau Unibanco SA 5.8 19.4 05/20/2027 BR BRL
Transocean Inc 6.8 67.6 03/15/2038 KY USD
Inversiones Latin 5.1 44.6 06/15/2033 CL USD
Inversiones Latin 5.1 44.8 06/15/2033 CL USD
Fospar S/A 6.5 1.3 05/15/2026 BR BRL
Frigorifico 7.7 71.1 07/21/2028 PY USD
Frigorifico 7.7 71.4 07/21/2028 PY USD
Banco Davivienda SA 6.7 66.5 CO USD
Banco de Chile 2.7 75.4 03/09/2035 CL AUD
Banco de Chile 1.7 69.5 04/26/2032 CL EUR
Banco del Estado 3.1 72.5 02/21/2040 CL AUD
Banco del Estado de 1.7 70 03/01/2032 CL EUR
Banco del Estado 2.8 68.9 03/13/2040 CL AUD
Banco del Estado 1.7 69.2 07/05/2032 CL EUR
Banco GNB Sudameris 7.5 73.3 04/16/2031 CO USD
Banco GNB Sudameris 7.5 73.4 04/16/2031 CO USD
Banco Santander Chile 1.3 57.6 11/29/2034 CL EUR
Banco Santander Chile 3.1 72.3 02/28/2039 CL AUD
Kaisa Group Holdings 10.9 9.1 KY USD
Agile Group Holdings 6.1 41 10/13/2025 KY USD
Agile Group Holdings 5.5 45 04/21/2025 KY USD
Agile Group Holdings 5.5 39.2 05/17/2026 KY USD
Alfa Desarrollo SpA 4.6 72.1 09/27/2051 CL USD
Alfa Desarrollo SpA 4.6 72.1 09/27/2051 CL USD
Alibaba Group 2.7 67.4 02/09/2041 KY USD
Alibaba Group 3.2 65.2 02/09/2051 KY USD
Agile Group Holdings 5.8 50.2 01/02/2025 KY USD
QNB Finance 11.5 62.1 1/30/2025 KY TRY
Lani Finance 3.1 68.6 10/19/2048 KY AUD
Lani Finance 1.9 63.3 10/19/2048 KY EUR
Lani Finance 1.7 60 03/14/2049 KY EUR
Lani Finance 1.9 62.3 09/20/2048 KY EUR
QNB Finance 3.4 75.4 10/21/2039 KY AUD
QNB Finance 13.5 55.7 10/06/2025 KY TRY
QNB Finance 2.9 75.3 12/04/2035 KY AUD
Ruta del Maipo 2.3 53.5 12/15/2024 CL CLP
Santander Consumer 2.9 73.1 11/27/2034 CL AUD
Seagate HDD Cayman 3.4 73.4 07/15/2031 KY USD
Seazen Group 4.5 63.6 07/13/2025 KY USD
Silk Road Investments 2.9 68.8 01/23/2042 KY AUD
Simpar Finance 10.8 73.8 02/12/2028 BR BRL
Simpar Finance 10.8 73.8 02/12/2028 BR BRL
Skylark 1.8 58.2 04/04/2039 KY GBP
Tencent Holdings 3.8 74.1 04/22/2051 KY USD
Tencent Holdings 3.9 72.3 04/22/2061 KY USD
Tencent Holdings 3.2 66.2 06/03/2050 KY USD
Tencent Holdings 3.2 66.5 06/03/2050 KY USD
Tencent Holdings 3.3 63 06/03/2060 KY USD
Tencent Holdings 3.3 63.5 06/03/2060 KY USD
Panama Bond 4.5 73.5 01/19/2063 PA USD
Panama Bond 4.3 74.8 04/29/2053 PA USD
Panama Bond 3.9 66.8 07/23/2060 PA USD
Earls Eight 0.1 63.8 12/20/2031 KY AUD
Chile Bond 1.3 52 01/22/2051 CL EUR
Chile Bond 3.1 66.9 01/22/2061 CL USD
Chile Bond 1.3 65.4 01/29/2040 CL EUR
Chile Bond 1.3 71.2 07/26/2036 CL EUR
Chile Bond 3.3 66.6 09/21/2071 CL USD
VTR Comunicaciones 5.1 55.3 01/15/2028 CL USD
VTR Comunicaciones 5.1 53.6 01/15/2028 CL USD
VTR Comunicaciones 4.4 54.4 04/15/2029 CL USD
VTR Comunicaciones 4.4 54.5 04/15/2029 CL USD
Vista Energy 1 73 03/03/2028 AR USD
Voyager II 3.3 74.3 03/23/2034 KY AUD
YPF SA 1 69.8 01/10/2026 AR USD
YPF SA 7 61.6 12/15/2047 AR USD
YPF SA 7 61 12/15/2047 AR USD
UEP Penonome II SA 6.5 73.6 10/01/2038 PA USD
UEP Penonome II SA 6.5 74.1 10/01/2038 PA USD
Guaranteed 5.4 73.7 01/29/2038 KY USD
Guaranteed 5.3 71.9 03/23/2038 KY USD
Helenbergh China 8 32.9 11/07/2024 KY USD
SYN prop e tech SA 13.6 20.3 3/15/2024 BR BRL
Yango Cayman 12 3.9 09/15/2023 KY USD
MSU Energy SA 6.9 70.8 02/01/2025 AR USD
El Salvador Bond 6.4 62.3 01/18/2027 SV USD
El Salvador Bond 6.4 62 01/18/2027 SV USD
El Salvador Bond 7.1 48.5 01/20/2050 SV USD
El Salvador Bond 7.1 48.6 01/20/2050 SV USD
El Salvador Bond 5.9 46 01/30/2025 SV USD
El Salvador Bond 7.6 49.4 02/01/2041 SV USD
El Salvador Bond 7.6 49.4 02/01/2041 SV USD
El Salvador Bond 8.6 58.1 02/28/2029 SV USD
El Salvador Bond 8.6 57.9 02/28/2029 SV USD
El Salvador Bond 8.3 56.4 04/10/2032 SV USD
El Salvador Bond 8.3 56.3 04/10/2032 SV USD
El Salvador Bond 7.7 50 06/15/2035 SV USD
El Salvador Bond 7.7 50 06/15/2035 SV USD
El Salvador Bond 9.5 54.6 07/15/2052 SV USD
El Salvador Bond 9.5 54.5 07/15/2052 SV USD
El Salvador Bond 7.6 49.9 09/21/2034 SV USD
El Salvador Bond 7.6 50 09/21/2034 SV USD
Banda de Couro 8 69.1 01/15/2027 BR BRL
Alibaba Group 3.3 63 02/09/2061 KY USD
AMTD IDEA Group 4.5 52.5 KY SGD
AAC Technologies 3.8 68.6 06/02/2031 KY USD
ACEN Finance 4 70.9 KY USD
AES Tiete 6.8 0.7 04/15/2024 BR BRL
Agile Group Holdings 13.5 40.7 KY USD
Agile Group Holdings 8.4 38.1 KY USD
Agile Group Holdings 7.9 31 KY USD
Argentina Bonar Bonds 1 19.8 7/09/2029 AR USD
Argentina Bonar Bonds 1 27.5 08/05/2023 AR USD
Argentina Treasury 2.5 25.3 11/30/2031 AR ARS
Argentine Bond 0.5 19.5 07/09/2029 AR EUR
Argentine Bond 1 23.7 07/09/2029 AR USD
Argentine Bond 0.1 21.5 07/09/2030 AR EUR
Argentine Bonos 16 72.6 10/17/2023 AR ARS
Argentine Bonos 15.5 22.2 10/17/2026 AR ARS
Ascent Finance 3.4 58.4 02/06/2043 KY AUD
Ascent Finance 3.8 59.8 06/28/2047 KY AUD
Ascent Finance 1.2 61.4 07/12/2047 KY EUR
Astra Cumulative 1.5 60.6 11/01/2029 KY USD
*********
S U B S C R I P T I O N I N F O R M A T I O N
Troubled Company Reporter-Latin America is a daily newsletter
co-published by Bankruptcy Creditors' Service, Inc., Fairless
Hills, Pennsylvania, USA, and Beard Group, Inc., Washington, D.C.,
USA, Marites O. Claro, Joy A. Agravante, Rousel Elaine T.
Fernandez, Julie Anne L. Toledo, Ivy B. Magdadaro, and Peter A.
Chapman, Editors.
Copyright 2024. All rights reserved. ISSN 1529-2746.
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* * * End of Transmission * * *