Tuesday, February 19, 2019

Jet Airways bailout puts focus on India banks’ debt-to-equity losses




Mumbai: From cloth makers to shipyards, Indian banks are getting stuck with shares of companies that are rapidly losing value even as the lenders seek to turn more loans they have made into equity in borrower firms.

In the latest move, State Bank of India and other creditors are planning to convert part of their loans to the beleaguered carrier Jet Airways Ltd. into equity as it struggles to repay debt. That’s a risk for the largest Indian bank, whose equity holdings’ market value crashed to about $104 million last quarter from $480 million a year earlier, while its stakes remained largely unchanged, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

State Bank of India isn’t alone: competitors including ICICI Bank Ltd., Bank of Baroda and Axis Bank Ltd. saw the market value of their equity holdings drop last year. Those banks switched debt into equity in stressed companies from Bombay Rayon Fashions Ltd. to ABG Shipyard Ltd.

“No bank in India has expertise in turning around companies. None of them engage with the companies,” said A. K. Prabhakar, head of research at IDBI Capital Markets & Securities Ltd. “Converting debt to equity normally leads to losses without such expertise.”

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

Intermountain Named Community Partner Of The Year By The Utah Clean Air Partnership

Aviation Capital Group Announces the Financing of One B747-8F Aircraft for AirBridgeCargo




NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Feb 19, 2019–Aviation Capital Group LLC (ACG), a leading aircraft operating lessor, announced today that it has structured, arranged, and provided a guarantee of a loan by MUFG Bank Ltd. (MUFG) to finance a portion of the purchase price of one (1) Boeing 747-8F aircraft delivered to AirBridgeCargo (ABC) Airlines, one of the world’s leading air cargo carriers.

The ABC financing utilized ACG’s Aircraft Financing Solutions (AFS) program. The AFS program complements ACG’s operating lease business by providing customers with cost effective aircraft financing solutions. Among operating lessors, ACG believes that it has created a unique aircraft financing program.

“ACG is extremely pleased to have had this opportunity to work with ABC and MUFG. Not only is this the first aircraft transaction funded under the AFS program, but ACG was awarded the financing mandate less than two months ago. Together with the cooperation and hard work of ABC and MUFG, who also provided critical input on structuring the loan, the AFS team was able to successfully structure and arrange this financing in a very compressed time period,” said Bob Roy, managing director of ACG.

“MUFG is very pleased to support ACG for the launch of this important initiative and to assist AirBridgeCargo with the financing of a B747-8F added in their fleet. MUFG is very proud to have assisted ACG in the structuring of this innovative new product and to continue the long relationship between our two institutions,” said Olivier Trauchessec, Head of Transportation Finance-Americas at MUFG.

“ABC is honored to be the first customer of ACG’s new AFS program which allowed us to further diversify our funding and approach it in the most effective way. We appreciate the execution capabilities of the parties involved and look forward to further cooperation. The additional aircraft into ABC’s fleet will bolster its network in line with customers’ expectations and will facilitate ABC’s further growth and development,” said Tatyana Arslanova, Vice President, Strategic Management of Volga-Dnepr Group.

About Aviation Capital Group

Aviation Capital Group is one of the world’s premier full-service aircraft asset managers with approximately 500 owned, managed and committed aircraft as of December 31, 2018, which are leased to approximately 90 airlines in approximately 45 countries. ACG was founded in 1989 and is an indirect majority-owned subsidiary of Pacific Life Insurance Company.

About AirBridgeCargo Airlines

AirBridgeCargo is one of the world’s fastest growing global cargo airlines, and its expanding route network connects customers in the largest trans-regional markets of Asia, Europe and North America, covering more than 30 major cargo gateways and accommodating trade flows worldwide. All the flights are operated via ABC’s cargo hub in Moscow, featuring up-to-date equipment and guaranteeing seamless connection throughout the airline’s expanded international network within a 48-hour delivery time, including handling, all managed by highly skilled and qualified ground handling personnel. ABC’s fleet of Boeing 747 freighters is one of the youngest and most modern in the airline industry.

For more information, visit http://bit.ly/2NmDtvP.

View source version on businesswire.com:http://bit.ly/2Gzmm9c

CONTACT: Gordon Grant

Investor and Media Relations

+ 1 949 219 4664

gordon.grant@aviationcapital.com

KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA CALIFORNIA

INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TRANSPORT AIR OTHER TRANSPORT LOGISTICS/SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FINANCE

SOURCE: Aviation Capital Group LLC

Copyright Business Wire 2019.

PUB: 02/19/2019 07:16 PM/DISC: 02/19/2019 07:16 PM

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African Development Lies in Renewable Energy, Foundation Leader Says




JOHANNESBURG A drop in the price of renewable energy could help propel development in Africa, the secretary general and CEO of World Energy Council said ahead of an international summit on the topic in South Africa on Tuesday.

Christoph W. Frei, who was set to participate in the Africa Energy Indaba conference taking place Johannesburg over the next two days, was optimistic that it was the opportune time for African nations to grasp sustainable energy.

Africa is one of the richest regions in renewable resources. It is time to decide how we can accelerate some of these opportunities, said Frei, head of the foundation promoting greener energy.

Africa Energy Indaba is to host several international experts, companies and political representatives to discuss a variety of issues from decarburization, digitalization to decentralization.

Frei said he believed Africa was going through a crucial moment of development and that it now had the chance to capitalize on declining renewable energy prices.

The cheapest and fastest way to deliver energy is, in fact, clean and renewable energy. Solar energy and rain can compete, or even surpass coal, Frei said.

The African continent hosted several areas ripe for renewable energy sources from its hot central lands ideal for solar panels to hydroelectric facilities, such as the Inga Dam in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Africa has enormous hydraulic options and we have known about that for a long time. Many people have emphasized the need to work on this agenda, but to do that, regional integration and large investments are needed, Frei said.

Frei said that shifting African nations further toward sustainable energy in a way that satisfied supply and demand would require patience.

Frei said that although renewable energy sources were still not exempt from disturbing the environment, they were in his opinion incomparable to the damage caused by the fossil fuel industry.

The only clean energy that we know is the one we do not consume. All of the others are dirty, including the renewables. Now (the goal is) to make sure that we choose the least problematic fuel source, Frei said.

He said the world would eventually needed to be weaned off fossil fuels to confront climate change.

Saudi Crown Prince arrives in India, Modi receives him


New Delhi, Feb 19

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrives in New Delhi for his two-day visit to India, is greeted at the airport by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His business mission under threat of being overshadowed by soaring tensions between India and Pakistan. The crown prince wants to persuade India, the world’s fastest growing major economy to buy more Saudi oil.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday broke protocol to warmly receive Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is on his first state visit to India, at the Palam airport here.

Prince Mohammed, who came to India a day after his visit to Pakistan, was received Modi with a personal hug. The Crown Prince had flown back to Saudi Arabia from Pakistan before coming to India.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that the first state visit of the Crown Prince marks a new chapter in bilateral relations.

“A new chapter in bilateral relations breaking protocol, PM Narendra Modi personally recieves HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia as he arrives on his first bilateral visit to India!,” he said in a tweet.

During the two-day visit, India and Saudi Arabia are expected to announce a ministerial-level ‘Strategic Partnership Council’ with the issue of terrorism expected to figure in a major way during the talks in the aftermath of Pulwama terror attack.

The Crown Prince will hold delegation-level meetings with Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday to take forward the the existing strategic partnership between the two countries.

He is accompanied by a high-level official delegation as well as a large business delegation.


Saudi Crown Prince arrives in India, Modi receives him

We are Social; All our social media connects eligible for discounts      Tweet         New Delhi, Feb 19 Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrives in New Delhi for his two-day visit to India, is greeted at the airport by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His business mission under threat of […]

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New Mexico To Establish Renewable Energy Training Center




… previously had a highly rated renewable energy program that was allowed to … in transitioning the region to renewable energy and establishing New Mexico as … : Michelle Lujan Grisham, New Mexico, renewable energy training, San Juan College School …