Bank agrees to defer claim for $43 million Metro payment

A bank that was demanding a $43 million payment from Metro by today agreed in federal court Thursday to defer its claim for 10 business days.

The payment to KBC Bank is for the termination of a deal that is one of many made by Metro, all of which are in trouble after insurers such as American International Group, which backed Metro’s financial agreements, lost their high credit ratings amid the economic crisis. The deal terms require the insurers to maintain a AAA credit rating.