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Monday, 3 July 2017

What we’re tracking on 3 July 2017

We are hearing welcome reports this morning that another eurobond issuance will be coming in September as the Finance Ministry is looking to capitalize on the success of the USD 7 bn EUR-denominated bond sales this year and a bull market in emerging market debt that shows no sign of slowing down (we have more in the Speed Round).

On that front, bond sales from corporate and sovereign issuers across developing nations have risen to just over USD 355 bn in 1H2017— the strongest half year performance in at least 10 years, according to Reuters. All global regions saw an increase in both the volume and number of transactions, the data showed, with issuers in the Asia-Pacific region making up nearly 50 percent of all debt sales. Beyond the need for borrowing, the prospect of policymakers in the developed world hiking interest rates (à la our very own central bank) or withdrawing stimulus has also prompted issuance, said Patrick Esteruelas at Emso Asset Management. "It makes sense to lock in long-term funding at favourable rates," said Esteruelas, adding the threat from U.S. President Donald Trump’s reflationary policies had contributed to the mix.

Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain have agreed to grant Qatar a 48-hour stay of execution to comply with their demands, which were supposed to expire today. The move follows a request from Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah (who had been playing mediator), the Saudi Press Agency reports. Qatar announced yesterday its rejection of the 13 demands the four countries set as preconditions to the normalization of ties but has yet to issue a formal declaration, Al Masry Al Youm reports. Qatar is still open to negotiations with its neighbors under “the proper conditions,” according to a Qatari Foreign Ministry statement. Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry will be meeting with his Saudi, Bahraini, and Emirati counterparts on Wednesday to discuss the developments in the Qatar soap opera and align their positions, according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid.

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi is set to meet with Hungarian President János Áder, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and Speaker of the National Assembly László Kövér in Budapest today, according to an emailed Ittihadiya statement. El Sisi and Orbán will then attend the Egyptian-Hungarian business forum meeting. Tomorrow, the president will attend the Visegrád Group-Egypt Summit. “Talks will include Egypt’s role in the Middle East, cooperation in the field of combating terrorism and illegal immigration and energy security,” the statement reads. Cooperation in trade and investments are also on the agenda.

El Sisi had discussed counter terrorism and regional conflict resolution with US Senator and Chair of the Senate Security and Cooperation in Europe Commission Roger Wicker in Cairo yesterday, according to an Ittihadiya statement.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sherif Ismail is heading to Addis Ababa to attend the 29th African Union summit taking place today and tomorrow on behalf of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, who is currently in Hungary, Ahram Online reports. Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry attended the summit’s preparatory meetings in the Ethiopian capital over the weekend.

Good news for travelers from Abu Dhabi to the US: You get to keep your laptops on flights, as the US lifted the laptop ban on Sunday on travel from Abu Dhabi via Etihad airways, according to Reuters. The US government had said that the airlines had put in place required tighter security measures.

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