MOSCOW, December 10. /TASS/. The outlook for non-financial companies of the Commonwealth of Independent States remains negative for 2016, Moody's Investors Service said on Thursday.
Expected contraction in Russia's GDP, weak domestic demand, continuing low global prices for oil and other key commodities, elevated borrowing costs and constrained access to public capital markets will adversely affect operating performance of CIS companies, Moody’s said.
"Constrained access to international debt capital markets for Russian corporates limits the potential for long-term investment, but does not pose an immediate threat to liquidity as most rated corporates have sufficient liquidity to repay debt through 2016," the rating agency said.
While Moody's expects GDP to grow by 2% in both Ukraine and Kazakhstan, Ukrainian companies are exposed to very high event risk driven primarily by both domestic and regional political crises, as well as external liquidity vulnerabilities. However, Kazakhstan's operating environment will remain more favorable, the international rating agency said.