Russian metallurgical companies experiencing difficulties with debt servicing, easing of monetary policy in 2026 will improve their situation - Sberbank deputy chairman

MOSCOW. Dec 11 (Interfax) - Metallurgical companies are experiencing some difficulties with servicing debt due to a strong ruble and high rates, and the situation should become easier for them next year amid expected monetary policy easing, Sberbank Deputy Board Chairman Anatoly Popov said.

"Companies in this sector have found themselves in a difficult situation related to two factors: a rather strong ruble and the relatively high level of the key rate, the spread between real inflation and the key rate. We see that our companies, whose portfolio is held by Sberbank, have accumulated a sufficient safety margin, and with some difficulties are still navigating the current situation. We expect a softening of monetary policy next year, and in this sense, it will be easier for companies to operate in the market," Popov told journalists on the sidelines of FI Day: AI and Blockchain.

This sector is not the only one that has faced problems with debt servicing. Recently, among large companies, OJSC Russian Railways has been mentioned. The company is working with banks on debt restructuring, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said at the end of November. Popov did not comment on this topic.