AIRLINK 189.64 Decreased By ▼ -7.01 (-3.56%)
BOP 10.09 Decreased By ▼ -0.05 (-0.49%)
CNERGY 6.68 Decreased By ▼ -0.01 (-0.15%)
FCCL 34.14 Increased By ▲ 1.12 (3.39%)
FFL 17.09 Increased By ▲ 0.44 (2.64%)
FLYNG 23.83 Increased By ▲ 1.38 (6.15%)
HUBC 126.05 Decreased By ▼ -1.24 (-0.97%)
HUMNL 13.79 Decreased By ▼ -0.11 (-0.79%)
KEL 4.77 Increased By ▲ 0.01 (0.21%)
KOSM 6.58 Increased By ▲ 0.21 (3.3%)
MLCF 43.28 Increased By ▲ 1.06 (2.51%)
OGDC 224.96 Increased By ▲ 11.93 (5.6%)
PACE 7.38 Increased By ▲ 0.37 (5.28%)
PAEL 41.74 Increased By ▲ 0.87 (2.13%)
PIAHCLA 17.19 Increased By ▲ 0.37 (2.2%)
PIBTL 8.41 Increased By ▲ 0.12 (1.45%)
POWER 9.05 Increased By ▲ 0.23 (2.61%)
PPL 193.09 Increased By ▲ 9.52 (5.19%)
PRL 37.34 Decreased By ▼ -0.93 (-2.43%)
PTC 24.02 Decreased By ▼ -0.05 (-0.21%)
SEARL 94.54 Decreased By ▼ -0.57 (-0.6%)
SILK 0.99 Decreased By ▼ -0.01 (-1%)
SSGC 39.93 Decreased By ▼ -0.38 (-0.94%)
SYM 17.77 Decreased By ▼ -0.44 (-2.42%)
TELE 8.66 Decreased By ▼ -0.07 (-0.8%)
TPLP 12.39 Increased By ▲ 0.18 (1.47%)
TRG 62.65 Decreased By ▼ -1.71 (-2.66%)
WAVESAPP 10.28 Decreased By ▼ -0.16 (-1.53%)
WTL 1.75 Decreased By ▼ -0.04 (-2.23%)
YOUW 3.97 Decreased By ▼ -0.03 (-0.75%)
AIRLINK 189.64 Decreased By ▼ -7.01 (-3.56%)
BOP 10.09 Decreased By ▼ -0.05 (-0.49%)
CNERGY 6.68 Decreased By ▼ -0.01 (-0.15%)
FCCL 34.14 Increased By ▲ 1.12 (3.39%)
FFL 17.09 Increased By ▲ 0.44 (2.64%)
FLYNG 23.83 Increased By ▲ 1.38 (6.15%)
HUBC 126.05 Decreased By ▼ -1.24 (-0.97%)
HUMNL 13.79 Decreased By ▼ -0.11 (-0.79%)
KEL 4.77 Increased By ▲ 0.01 (0.21%)
KOSM 6.58 Increased By ▲ 0.21 (3.3%)
MLCF 43.28 Increased By ▲ 1.06 (2.51%)
OGDC 224.96 Increased By ▲ 11.93 (5.6%)
PACE 7.38 Increased By ▲ 0.37 (5.28%)
PAEL 41.74 Increased By ▲ 0.87 (2.13%)
PIAHCLA 17.19 Increased By ▲ 0.37 (2.2%)
PIBTL 8.41 Increased By ▲ 0.12 (1.45%)
POWER 9.05 Increased By ▲ 0.23 (2.61%)
PPL 193.09 Increased By ▲ 9.52 (5.19%)
PRL 37.34 Decreased By ▼ -0.93 (-2.43%)
PTC 24.02 Decreased By ▼ -0.05 (-0.21%)
SEARL 94.54 Decreased By ▼ -0.57 (-0.6%)
SILK 0.99 Decreased By ▼ -0.01 (-1%)
SSGC 39.93 Decreased By ▼ -0.38 (-0.94%)
SYM 17.77 Decreased By ▼ -0.44 (-2.42%)
TELE 8.66 Decreased By ▼ -0.07 (-0.8%)
TPLP 12.39 Increased By ▲ 0.18 (1.47%)
TRG 62.65 Decreased By ▼ -1.71 (-2.66%)
WAVESAPP 10.28 Decreased By ▼ -0.16 (-1.53%)
WTL 1.75 Decreased By ▼ -0.04 (-2.23%)
YOUW 3.97 Decreased By ▼ -0.03 (-0.75%)
BR100 11,814 Increased By 90.4 (0.77%)
BR30 36,234 Increased By 874.6 (2.47%)
KSE100 113,247 Increased By 609 (0.54%)
KSE30 35,712 Increased By 253.6 (0.72%)

European credit spreads narrowed on Friday after US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said his chief aim was to support mortgage finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in their current form. By 1515 GMT, the Markit investment-grade iTraxx Europe index was at 103 basis points, according to Markit data, 2 basis points tighter versus late on Thursday.
The iTraxx Crossover index, made up of 50 mostly "junk"-rated credits, was 3.25 basis points narrower at 541.75 basis points. By contrast, US and European equity markets fell steeply, with the FTSEurofirst 300 down 2.4 percent by 1523 GMT.
"The US government has made it quite clear that they will not allow anything to interfere with the smooth running of the US economy. A bankruptcy of the two largest mortgage entities in the US is just not a feasible option," a trader said.
Worries about Fannie and Freddie grew after the New York Times said the US government was considering a plan to place Fannie and Freddie, which own or guarantee nearly half of all US mortgages, into conservatorship. This means shares in the companies would be worth little or nothing, with taxpayers obligated to cover any losses on their home loans.
Shares in Fannie and Freddie plummeted by around 30 percent, but credit default swaps on both companies tightened and their bonds rose. "The more their equity gets blown out, the more they get to the point where the US will underwrite them," the trader said. More broadly, the trader added that debt markets were already largely pricing in recession fears, and that little could unnerve them more.
"Banks are under pressure, financial markets are not working properly, we're about to slide into a global recession, earnings are going to get crushed, equities are overvalued, consumer sentiment numbers were rubbish, (and) everyone knows it," he said.

Copyright Reuters, 2008

Comments

Comments are closed.