ESG initiatives should avoid unfavourable reactions by pursuing substance over form
By any financial measure, the collaboration of trans activist Dylan Mulvaney with Bud Light hurt the brand. What was formerly America’s best-selling beer saw its market share collapse — from over 35% in May 2023 to around 9% in June — because of a boycott by US conservatives after a 60-second TikTok video aired of Mulvaney drinking it.

New IACPM survey points to a global recession
Respondents to the latest IACPM Credit Outlook Survey overwhelmingly expect global economies to fall into recession either later this year or sometime in 2024.

Buy-out rumours send US high yield company back to January spread levels
Not many single name credits are ending 2022 at the same spread levels they entered the year, but one US high yield company has that profile after its rally of the past three weeks picked up speed following buy-out rumours

US pension plans termination of manager to bring "portfolio closer to market duration neutral"
Arkansas Teacher Retirement System is planning to reallocate assets to two existing fixed income managers

Credit and commodities diverge after China abandons zero-covid approach
Markets present a mixed picture at the start of the week, with Europe – still processing Friday’s US jobs numbers – opening cautiously after China’s retreat from strict zero-covid policies boosts commodity prices but raises fears of an infection wave

Powell outlook brings risk buyers out in droves, but reality check looks soon to follow
Comments by US Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell on Wednesday on the pace of future rate hikes have prompted a sharp rally across global financial markets, including credit. But dissenting voices have already begun to point out the enthusiasm is likely overdone

UK nerves rattle Europe/US relative value trades, as Hunt seeks to reassure investors
A palpable mood of trepidation on Thursday around the UK’s autumn budget has brought widening of credit spreads, with European indices giving back gains they have made in recent sessions versus their US counterparts

China property rescue plan keeps credit on front foot
China’s policy shift on covid rules and measures to prop up its ailing property market have brought a buoyant start to the week, despite financial markets having already rallied sharply last week

High yield markets win big in 2022’s love-letter to CDS
Tradeable credit assets have suffered a rough year for liquidity and returns, but credit derivatives are among a small group of products defiantly enjoying a bumper year. 

Asia credit rallies sharply but rest of world holds firm ahead of Fed
While most of the global financial market hangs in the balance, Asian credit has undergone a second day of relief rallying having hit the year’s peak on 31 October

Europe leads broad rally amid speculation on softening rates timeline
After a cautious start to the week, credit markets have rallied ahead of policy decisions by the US Federal Reserve and Bank of England, amid growing investor anticipation of a slowdown in rate hikes as well as hope of a reopening Chinese economy

US jobs strength sends traders scrambling to cut Fed pivot trades
Credit spreads are ending the week on a sharp move wider, with a heavy sell off hitting financial markets in the wake of US jobs numbers that suggest any notions of a Fed pivot on rates are premature

European credit returns to peak covid levels with UK getting pounded
What looks set to be another challenging week for financial markets has opened as bearishly as last week ended, with credit spreads in Asia and Europe once again surging to new wides

Surge in hedging sends credit spreads to year's wides
A busy and bearish week is ending with credit spreads surging beyond their previous widest levels of the year, with Italian elections this weekend adding to caution in Europe after a string of central bank policy decisions reshaped the global economic outlook and the UK government scrambled to address rising energy costs

Spreads retreat ahead of pivotal US inflation report
Investors are holding their breath on Wednesday ahead of the latest US inflation numbers, with any change from last month’s reading likely to dictate a sizeable move in financials markets

Making the grade: CLO managers move into IG bonds
CLO managers have been using the incredible volatility in credit markets this year to add an unfamiliar asset to their portfolios – investment grade bonds

Relief rally extends despite US and EU sending mixed signals on recession
Growth and inflation data on Friday has added impetus for the European Central Bank to maintain a hawkish stance at its September meeting, despite US signals suggesting that economy is in recession

Mixed signals abound but European weakness persists
European financial markets are losing further ground against the US in a cautious start to the week, as the euro approaches parity with the dollar for the first time and latest data supports the Federal Reserve maintaining a hawkish approach to policy

Ucits at a glance: LBBW shines as Ucits take a turn for the worse
Ucits fund returns

Europe vs US arb hits resistance as dislocation becomes more extreme
Recession fears have pushed several different asset classes to key psychological levels, while leaving European and US credit markets at a high level of dislocation

Energy co joins Europe's choir of fallen angel candidates as spreads soar
The financial market sell-off is entering acceleration, with credit indices blowing to new psychological levels and a growing number of investment grade companies reaching high yield spreads

Fed hike speculation holds sway over Europe and Asia despite US holiday
Credit markets have opened the week marginally tighter, with Europe and Asia cautious on Monday in the absence of a US trading session, and US Federal Reserve statements likely to drive sentiment in the rest of the week

Euro IG credit looks set to outperform US, HY and equities: Barclays
An outlook of elevated inflation and low growth favours credit over equities, and euro investment grade over high yield, according to European credit strategists at Barclays

Duration, decompression and dispersion disconnects grow
Investors’ reassessment of the time they may need to hold on to positions — as well as the limited opportunity for some borrowers to access new capital — are adding to a growing list of factors causing credit market prices to disconnect

Fund performance: Credit hits another bump in the road after March revival
There was more upheaval for credit funds in April, reversing the mini-recovery in March as 40% of funds made positive returns, a decrease on the 47% in March