Dubai Bailout Rally Evaporates on Standstill Silence

* username: rupertbu

Dubai’s failure to reassure investors its restructuring plan will succeed is causing the emirate’s benchmark stock index to drop the most in the world and forcing companies to scrap bond sales.

The Dubai Financial Market General Index lost 14 percent since Dec. 14, wiping out a rally sparked by Abu Dhabi’s bailout of Dubai World that day. Bonds of the state-owned company’s property developer Nakheel PJSC sank to 56 cents on the dollar from 67.5 cents, while credit default swaps on Dubai government debt trade at 493 basis points, the highest level since Abu Dhabi’s fund injection.

Dubai World, in talks to reschedule $22 billion of debt, failed to present an offer in a meeting with lenders in December and declined to say when a deal may be struck. Dubai Electricity & Water Authority said Jan. 17 it delayed a $1.5 billion bond sale as borrowing costs were too high.