This week Goldman Sachs announced the closure of its dedicated Bric (Brazil, Russia, China and India) fund after nearly ten years. The move signalled the end of the Bric era, as this year saw recessions plague Russia and Brazil while growth in China stalled. India, however, has remained a bright spot, and the… Subscribe to

It is a truism that the finances of countries, as well as companies, feel the impact from declining commodity prices. This can be good for energy importing nations, and the positive effect on consumption can boost economic growth. But for commodity exporters it is obviously detrimental. A prime example is Kazakhstan…. Subscribe to Read MoreAlready

In bond markets, liquidity can be described as the ability to transact with size, at low cost and with minimal price impact. The topic has been of much conversation over the past few years as market participants fret over the potential systemic risks that can arise from illiquid bond markets. While overall consensus is that…

The last few months have proven to be a volatile time for the HY market, highlighting the risks involved in the asset class. But with significant yields on offer and different markets to explore, HY bonds remain a quandary for investors. The recent volatility can be illustrated by looking at recent returns. September saw US…

The last few months have proven to be a volatile time for the HY market, highlighting the risks involved in the asset class. But with significant yields on offer and different markets to explore, HY bonds remain a quandary for investors. The recent volatility can be illustrated by looking at recent returns. September saw US…

Eastern Europe is generally viewed by credit investors as one of the safer segments of increasingly shaky emerging markets asset class. But the aggressive presence of Russia poses risks, as its neighbours know all too well. On September 23rd the Republic of Ukraine failed to pay principal on its $500m 6.875% coupon bond. A drawn…

In recent years, the credit markets have become accustomed to volatility, despite the best efforts of central banks to tame the beast. But where it was sovereigns and banks that were the instigators during the crises of 2007-2012, in 2015 it is the commodities sector that is providing the oscillations. Nowhere was this more evident…

German corporate credit, generally regarded as a safe bet, has had a torrid time of late. Last week we looked at how the costs of transitioning from nuclear to clean energy had inflicted damage on German utilities and sent credit spreads spiralling wider. This week it was the turn of the auto industry, and Germany’s…

The sharp fall in commodity prices over the past 12 months has placed the energy sector under increased scrutiny from credit investors. But it tends to be exploration and production firms, as well as mining companies, that have borne the brunt of negative sentiment. Utilities often benefit from lower prices in raw materials, and their…

Brazilian bonds sink prior to downgrade Brazil’s recent downgrade to junk will come as little surprise to market observers given the increasingly bearish sentiment seen in Brazilian sovereign bonds. Brazilian CDS spreads at 371bps, twice where they stood a year ago… Subscribe to Read MoreAlready a member? Log in here...