Europe

Russia reopens bond market to friendly traders

The Moscow Exchange will be partially reopened to foreign investors from Monday after a nearly six-month suspension during the Ukraine war.

It says only investors from “countries that are not hostile” will be allowed to trade bonds.

The move excludes many of Russia’s largest investors that have imposed sanctions on its economy.

Russia had sealed off its markets in February to restrict money from leaving the country during the war.

In a statement, the Moscow Exchange said it would be reopening its bond market to “non-resident clients from countries that are not hostile, as well as non-residents whose ultimate beneficiaries are Russian legal entities or individuals.”

China and Turkey are likely to be among these nations, as they have not imposed sanctions against Russia.

It added that banks, brokers and investment management companies had started registering their foreign clients with the exchange.

Russia closed its stock and bond markets hours after President Vladimir Putin sent thousands of troops into Ukraine on 24 February.

In March, it began a phased re-opening which was limited to bonds issued by the Russian government.

Monday’s resumption of trading excludes investors from “hostile” countries, who remain banned from selling Russian securities.

These countries include members of the European Union, Canada and Japan. The group accounted for 90% of investments into Russia last year.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and sanctions imposed by Western governments have taken a toll on its economy.

The country is believed to have defaulted on its debt in June for the first time since 1998.

While it had money to make a $100m (£82.5m) payment, sanctions made it impossible to get the sum to international creditors.

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Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said an intermediary bank had withheld the money and that the reserves were blocked “unlawfully”.

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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