During a volatile time for global trade and the commodities market amid the coronavirus pandemic, TXF spoke to Jean Woo, partner at Ashurst in Singapore, to discuss how the law firm is staying abreast of the legal requirements facing its corporate clients as many of them look to restructure their debt.

Nornickel has sealed a $4.15 billion refinancing at time when Russian corporate borrowers and international lenders have found their cost of debt aspirations harmonising, according to sources, with the producer’s upsized and tightened deal a testament to this market sentiment.

Ireland-based Kenmare Resources returned to the debt markets in December to refinance the remaining debt backing its Moma titanium mine in Mozambique. But this time round, the deal has a new lender line-up, vanilla structure, looser covenants and cheaper pricing, which all reflect the strength of the mine’s cash flows and its expansion capacity.

Anglo American agreed a £405 million ($527 million) rescue deal with Sirius Minerals this week. The takeover is a lifeline for Sirius which faced collapse if it could not find alternative funding for its struggling Woodsmith polyhalite mining project in the UK. But what is the benefit for Anglo?’

Given its status as the world's second largest aluminium producer, Rusal's sustainability-linked loan debut is good news for the growing ESG movement. But like other deals in the commodity sector that have closed before it, the financial structure in Rusal's deal lacks the teeth to leave no doubt that it is not tinged with a bit of greenwash.