Ukraine’s Sincere Gnawing Inauguration
Ukraine stocks and bonds, after a bump on former comedian Zelenskiy’s resounding 75% presidential election haul, girded for a rough foreign policy, economic and anti-corruption transition period with the untested politician taking office. He had reform advisers for the campaign, but also a close relationship with the oligarch controlling the media outlet for the show that launched his candidacy who was implicated in fraud at the largest private bank. The central bank seized it as capital was also injected into ailing state lenders, with the system NPL ratio at 50%. The action was declared unconstitutional right before the vote, as the outgoing government likewise spurned another element of the twisting IMF program by lowering gas prices in a last ditch popular bid. The new president immediately called for fresh parliamentary polls as he seeks to lift lawmaker immunity from criminal charges. Russia offered citizenship to eastern breakaway regions at the same time, and ignored a European human rights tribunal ruling to release detained Ukrainian sailors following a Crimea incident. Fund disbursement is unlikely until the Zelinskiy team settles in and meets previous conditions, including unified bank and securities market regulation. The public sector and banks owe $10 billion in combined external debt over the next year, versus $40 billion in corporate repayment Reserves and liquid foreign assets were $25 billion at the end of 2018, with 40% banking system dollarization and high capital flight risk around political and growth uncertainty. GDP will increase 3% again this year, subject to agriculture and metal commodities price swings, and private consumption reflecting marginally positive credit growth. However the latter could be endangered if Privatbank is returned to its owner, also triggering cronyism accusations, and weak state units like the Export-Import Bank continue to run up contingent liabilities, especially as the books undergo fresh inspection.
Russian financial assets rallied in turn on the removal of incumbent hard-liner Poroshenko from office, although he vows to remain a vocal diplomatic opponent in parliament. Local equity and external corporate bond placements proliferated, and foreign investors snapped up sovereign issues on the prospect of easing regional and global tensions. President Zelinskiy signaled resumed dialogue with the Kremlin during the campaign without offering specifics, and the Mueller report conclusions in the US dismissing 2016 Trump team criminal conspiracy may stall further congressional sanctions momentum, including a government debt allocation ban. Moscow has also agreed to work with Washington to support talks between the Maduro regime and opposition in Venezuela, under the threat of civil war and millions more fleeing the country’s humanitarian and hyperinflationary collapse. However Russian growth remains flat with living standards stagnating below the wealthiest tier, and President Putin recently turned to China to drum up investment in the poor Far East around Vladivostok. A tax-free special economic zone is in place there, but Chinese companies criticize complex rules as a main business deterrent. Arbitrary rule of law is not the same red line Western partners cite as their FDI is barely positive. Jailed private equity fund managers in a dispute with Kremlin allies have requested permission to attend outside meetings ahead of the prestigious Saint Petersburg global forum as a measure of the authorities’ seriousness in mending investor ties.
