Strategy Analysis
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Introduction | Cases | Strategy Analysis | Aggregate Model | Conclusion | Sources Used
Eastern Europe: Bulgaria
- $10 billion debt (74% of GDP) => Moratorium on debt payments
- Moratorium on debt payments => Negotiations with the financial institutions (IMF / World Bank)
- Negotiations with the financial institutions => Brady plan (July 28, 1994) + IMF
- Conditions on agreeing to the Brady plan =>
- Debt relief -> Guarantees needed for remainder of debt
- Guarantees offered by Worl Bank and IMF -> World Bank and IMF effectively own Bulgaria's debt
- Worl Bank + IMF own debt -> World Bank and IMF can demand specific economic reforms (dependancy)
- POSITIVE effects of the Brady plan:
- Increased credibility rating
- Increased credibility rating => Expected increase in foreign direct investment (stabilization)
- Budget is freed from debt repayment burden
- Government can lower obligation to the IMF and World Bank by directly purchasing Brady bonds
- Brady bonds can be used as payment method in the privatization process
- NEGATIVE effects of the Brady plan:
- Country becomes dependent on IMF / World Bank (shareholder interests)
- IMF / World Bank can demand actions such as removal of trade barriers, monopolies, or special tax distortions
- Currency pegged to the euro/dollar
- In 2002 Bulgaria exchanged the Brady bonds for global bonds =>
- Bulgaria becomes a real participant in the global economy
- Bought $5.137 billion worth of Brady bonds for $2.486 billion
- $135 million collateral released
- Debt maturity extended in time
- Debt / GDP ratio decreased -> credit profile increased (14 times)
South America: Argentina
- Crisis in 1980 in Latin America leaves Argentina with an outsanding foreing debt => Negotiations with the IMF
- IMF offers help under certain conditions => Argentina need to replace existing military regime
- New government elected in 1991 => The peso is tied to the US dollar
- Peso tied to US dollar:
- Limited monetary growth and increase in reserves
- Lower inflation and increasing GDP (7%)
- Outside factors in 1997 (Crisis in Mexico and Brazil + US dollar depreciates) =>
- Peso depreciates -> 2001 Argentina crisis
- Extreme fall in credibility -> major decrease in foreing investments
- IMF demand payment on debt =>
- Argentina can choose to stop payments:
- Unstable markets and more problems for neighbouring countries
- Argentina pays:
- Taxes increase and government spending decreases
- GDP falls and unemplayment rises
- Riots take the streets
- Argentina can choose to stop payments:
- Deficit targets not met => IMF simply increases the target percentages so that the country meets the requirements
- Operating at new targets lead to greater fianacial crisis => IMF issues more loans
- More loans => More debt
- More debt => Eventually the country is back where it started, but with higher inflation and unemployment rates
- IMF demands more productivity (pensions / environmental requirements / severence benefits) => Argentina defects
- Argentina defects => IMF backs off due to the high-profile status of the country and the february 2004 $88 billion debt
- IMF admits mistakes => IMF loses credibility and respect
Africa: Nigeria
- In 1980 Nigeria receives a loan from the Paris Club => Generates an outstanding foreign debt of $19 billion
- Great debt repayment problems due to:
- corruption / unstable government
- poverty / poor agriculture, industry, and infrastructure
- POSITIVE factor: Nigeria is rich in oil
- Military dictatorship => Financial institutions refuse negotiations with Nigeria
- No negotiations with the Paris Club / IMF / World Bank => Interest arrears and penalties accumulated
- In 2000 Nigeria agrees to IMF demands and starts negotiations => Nigeria receives debt restructuring from the Paris Club and a $1 billion credit from the IMF
- In 2002 Nigeria fails to meet spending and exchange rate targets => Pulls out of the IMF program
- Increase in oil exportation, deregulation and partial privatization of the oil industry => GDP increases significanlty in 2005
- In Novemreb 2005 Nigeria signs a deal with the Paris Club and the IMF to eliminate $30 billion from the $37 billion oustanding debt (under the agreement that it will pay $12 billion in arrears to bilateral creditors) => Nigeria is allowed to buy the remainder of the debt at a discount + agrees to more intensified IMF reviews
- Increase in IMF control => political and social reforms needed + Nigeria looses some of its financial independance