BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- International hedge funds and brokers were seeking to profit from Russia's corporate bonds and the rouble, as talks continue over a possible ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, said a latest report by the Financial Times (FT).
The Kremlin confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday night.
"Investors are turning to sanctions-proof bets on Russian bonds and the rouble to wager that Donald Trump's rapprochement with Vladimir Putin will send a wave of capital rushing back into Russia's economy," the report said.
"Hedge funds and brokers have been scoping out how to trade Russian assets that have been shunned by the West but which they believe could rally sharply if Trump relaxes sanctions as part of a deal to broker a ceasefire in Russia's conflict against Ukraine," it said.
The rouble has surged almost a third against the U.S. dollar this year, while investors are looking forward to a possible wider rollback of sanctions on Russia, according to the report. ■
