OREANDA-NEWS. Euroclear Bank's post-trade services for Russian corporate and municipal bonds will commence on 30 January 2014. Via Euroclear Bank's account with Russia's central securities depository - National Settlement Depository (NSD) - all Euroclear Bank clients investing in corporate and municipal debt will be able to settle those trades and deposit their positions with Euroclear Bank.

This new service complements NSD and Euroclear Bank's offering for Russian government bonds, known as OFZs, which was launched in February 2013. Municipal bonds and corporate bonds issued in 2012 and later are eligible for the service.

Euroclear Bank's service for OFZs - and now corporate and municipal debt - is part of a progressive suite of services which aims to expand Euroclear Bank clients' access to Russian securities, including a service for Russian equities which is scheduled to go live in the second half of 2014.

OFZs, corporate and municipal securities held in safekeeping by Euroclear Bank will also be eligible as securities collateral for securitised transactions where Euroclear Bank is the triparty collateral management agent.

Euroclear Bank will have links with CSDs in 45 major countries. The Russian rouble is already one of 54 settlement currencies in Euroclear Bank.

As of today NSD has links with CSDs/ICSDs in 8 countries and with 12 cash correspondent banks. That allows NSD clients to settle Free-of-Payment and Delivery-versus-Payment securities transactions in Eurobonds, non-domestic bonds and equities, DRs, ETFs and certain other instruments, while cash settlement is available in 8 foreign currencies.