Companies@UA: База компаний Украины

Moscow. Aug 4 (Interfax) - VTB Bank must refinance debt of $3.5 billion before the end of 2009, but for now does not want to borrow money on foreign capital markets for these purposes, VTB financial director and executive board member Nikolai Tsekhomsky said at a press conference on Tuesday.

"We don't foresee any problems with refinancing. We aren't particularly interested in refinancing debts by borrowing on the market with the current picture on the market," he said, adding that the bank would use funds received from clients as deposits to refinance debt.

Borrowing funds on capital markets "is not an end in itself with the current rates," he said, noting that "interest rates will have to fall very sharply" for VTB to justify borrowing abroad.

Tsekhomsky said the bank has individual deposits as well as prominent corporate clients and mainly issues loans in rubles. Interest rates on these deposits are rather low compared to international capital markets. "We believe that we are using these deposits and financing from the Central Bank to repay external debt," he said later during a conference call with analysts.

VTB placed Eurobonds denominated in Swiss francs in July at an interest rate of 7.5%. The Swiss Eurobond market is known for its low interest rates. Solid demand was seen from investors for the VTB bonds. The bank initially announced plans to borrow 150 million Swiss francs, but then increased this amount to 450 million francs. At the end of July, the bank placed an additional 300 million francs in Eurobonds, bringing the total size of the issue to 750 million francs.

In mid-June, VTB held a road show in London in order to place $1 billion in Eurobonds with yield of around 9%. The bank mulled a seven-year issue with a three-year put option. However, the bank decided against this placement since investors considered the terms unfavorable.