Dexia Bank Nets Financing Guarantees From Three Countries

Troubled European Bank Gets New Lifeline

Crisis-hit Franco-Belgian bank Dexia (DEXI.BR) has secured temporary financing guarantees from Belgium, France and Luxembourg to keep it running while the countries cement the bailout they put together in October.

Dexia said on Monday a draft temporary guarantee agreement had been submitted to its board of directors and to the European Commission, which will need to determine whether the rescue complies with state aid rules.

Dexia shares were trading up 7.7 percent at 0930 GMT. The STOXX European banking index was 2.1 percent higher.

KBC Securities said in a morning note that the agreement gave Dexia temporary relief, although it was still tapping a considerable amount of funds from the European Central Bank and the guarantee fee was a potential negative.

Dexia was rescued by the three states in October, receiving 90 billion euros ($121 billion) of guarantees to cover its borrowings and accepting that Belgium would take over its operations there for 4 billion euros.

However, these guarantee have yet to take effect, sparking talk the states were wrangling about how the burden should be shared. Reports of fresh talks last month hit both Belgian government bonds and the euro.

Dexia said the temporary guarantee agreement would cover as much as 45 billion euros of its financing needs up to May 31.

The guarantees would cover financial contracts and securities with a maturity of three years or less.

Dexia will provide the three states with collateral for some of the guaranteed obligations issued, a fee of 225 million euros, and monthly fees based on the outstanding amount of guaranteed debt.

Dexia said the agreement was a draft and the terms might be reviewed. Its board would reach a decision once such terms were finalized.

"The board of directors draws the urgent attention of the states and of the European Commission to the need to conclude a temporary and then final agreement as rapidly as possible so that the restructuring plan of the Dexia Group can be carried out in an orderly manner," it said.

Dexia said the longer-term guarantee agreed in October was irrevocable and the allocation between governments of 60.5 percent, 36.5 percent and 3 percent for Belgium, France and Luxembourg, respectively, remained unchanged.

(Reporting By Philip Blenkinsop; Editing by Andrew Callus)

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click for Restrictions.

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