Country Garden wins approval to delay repayment of one more bond

September 13, 2023 (MLN): Country Garden has won approval from its creditors to extend the maturity of one more onshore bond, sources with knowledge of the matter said, as the Chinese developer battles to avoid a default amid Beijing's efforts to stabilize the crisis-hit sector, as Reuters reported.

The maturity period of the cash-strapped Country Garden's onshore bond has been extended by three years, said the sources, who declined to be named as they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Country Garden's financial woes are the latest to hit the beleaguered property sector, which was once a pillar of growth in the world's second-largest economy but has become its biggest drag since 2021 in the wake of an unprecedented liquidity crisis.

Shares in Country Garden, China's largest private property developer, jumped as much as 14% in Hong Kong on Wednesday.

Before the latest voting to extend the maturities of eight onshore bonds, Country Garden managed to avoid default at the last minute twice earlier this month, bringing some relief to the battered property sector.

Country Garden, one of the few large Chinese developers that have not defaulted on debt obligations, has been facing liquidity pressure with reduced available funds as sales plunged, its interim financial statements show.

Despite the temporary debt reprieve, investors are focusing on near-term sales prospects for Country Garden and its peers after authorities rolled out a raft of property support measures in the last few weeks.

Those measures included lowering existing mortgage rates and preferential loans for first-home purchases in big cities, but analysts say more is needed to stabilize the sector, restore consumer confidence and induce an eventual recovery.

"Investors will monitor how quickly Country Garden can revive its sales, going forward, with Beijing easing the curbs on the property sector," said Ting Meng, a senior credit strategist at ANZ.

"The developer is very likely to start similar extension negotiations with offshore creditors soon, given it will be challenging for it to service the outstanding debts with its current cash positions," she added.

Country Garden's onshore creditors voted on Monday for proposals by the distressed developer to extend repayments on eight onshore bonds worth 10.8 billion yuan ($1.48bn) by three years.

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