Holdout investors involved in litigation with Argentina over sovereign debt said on Monday they have not met with the government to negotiate a settlement on defaulted debt, and accused Buenos Aires of refusing to enter talks as a 30-day countdown to default begins.
Economy minister Axel Kicillof said US courts haven't yet responded to Argentina's request this week for more time to negotiate a settlement with a small group of holdout creditors and warned the country could face a technical default next Monday if the sentence remains firm.
After a day of fury and discussions with cabinet members, advisors and experts, Argentine president Cristina Fernandez will be sending a government delegation to New York to meet Judge Thomas Griesa and the hedge funds holdouts' solicitors and begin, hopefully, a round of negotiations to reach a settlement on the bonds litigation.
Standard & Poor's cut its rating of Argentina's long-term foreign currency debt rating to CCC- from CCC+ with a “negative” outlook. A CCC rating is defined as “currently vulnerable and dependent on favorable business, financial and economic conditions to meet financial commitments,” according to S&P.
Argentine President Cristina Fernandez has accused part of the United States judiciary of wishing to take Argentina to default, comparing Argentina’s situation with that which currently faces US counterpart Barack Obama.
A US appeals court on Wednesday granted an emergency stay order that gives Argentina more time to argue against making a 1.33 billion dollars payment to investors who rejected two debt restructurings in the nation's 2002 sovereign debt default.
Fitch Ratings agency announced on Tuesday it has downgraded Argentina's long-term foreign currency Issuer Default Rating from B to CC, with a negative outlook, as it sees a probable default if the country misses its payment to holdout investors.