Visit/investments/bonds/corporate-bonds/601364/the-us-federal-reserves-backstop-keeps-the-bond-market
The US Federal Reserve's backstop keeps the bond market afloat
An announcement back in March from America's central bank, that it would buy corporate bonds, has given the corporate bond market a fillip even as com…
22 May 2020
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Cracks appear in corporate-bond ETFs
Severe volatility has opened up gaps between company-debt market trackers and the underlying assets.
21 Apr 2020
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The world is drowning in corporate debt
The world’s $74trn “ocean of corporate debt” contains many hidden perils which could infect the wider financial market
20 Mar 2020
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Coronavirus could be the pin to pop the corporate debt bubble
Investors need to beware, says John Stepek. Companies have been loading up on cheap debt, which the coronavirus outbreak could make very difficult to …
6 Mar 2020
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There’s still money in bonds for careful investors
Investors should tread carefully in the fixed-income market. But this well-managed investment trust fits the bill.
3 Mar 2020
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China’s maturing corporate bond market
Chinese companies are defaulting on their debt in record numbers. And the trouble could spread to state-owned enterprises.
20 Dec 2019
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Mini-bonds could spell big trouble for small investors
Investors have been seduced by the high interest rates on mini-bonds, but they’re not as safe as they seem.
11 Dec 2019
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Visit/519036/corporate-debt-is-at-record-levels-heres-what-the-risks-are
Corporate debt is at record levels – here’s what the risks are
With interest rates at rock bottom, companies have been loading up on debt. And a lot of it is poor quality debt. John Stepek explains what that means…
3 Dec 2019
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Cracks emerge in corporate debt
The total value of non-financial corporate debt in the US is now almost $10trn, equivalent to half of America’s GDP.
27 Sep 2019
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Chart of the week: America’s corporate debt binge
US households have spent much of the past decade deleveraging. Companies haven’t as this chart shows.
23 Aug 2019
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Beware the lure of illiquid debt funds
Illiquid debt offers tempting returns, but the next downturn could still reveal unexpected risks.
6 Aug 2019
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Investors are going bonkers for bonds
In a further sign of the mania gripping the bond market, Germany issued €3.15bn of zero-interest ten-year bonds last week.
18 Jul 2019
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The charts that matter: the US dollar continues lower
As markets continue to believe that a cut in US interest rates is just a matter of time, the US dollar continued its fall this week. John Stepek looks…
15 Jun 2019
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The boom in dodgy US corporate debt
Investors are flocking back into CDOs – the debt instruments implicated in the financial crisis. But this time hedge funds have a new darling: corpora…
10 May 2019
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A symptom of our quantitative-easing-addled world
That Saudi Arabian oil giant Saudi Aramco was able to borrow so cheaply on the markets is odd, says John Stepek.
11 Apr 2019
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Stash your cash in bond ETFs
A savings account isn’t always practical. Here’s what to do with the cash in your portfolio.
19 Feb 2019
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The credit boom is on borrowed time
In 2008, US subprime mortgage loans triggered the financial crisis. Now, worried eyes are turning to record high corporate debt.
7 Dec 2018
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Scott Minerd: the collapse in corporate credit
The slide and collapse in investment-grade credit has begun, says Scott Minerd, chief investment officer of Guggenheim Partners.
23 Nov 2018
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Is this the beginning of the end for bond markets?
The corporate bond market has had its worst year since 2008. And it doesn’t look like things are going to get much better John Stepek explains what’s …
19 Nov 2018
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Beware of the risks when investing in mini bonds
Don’t be swayed by impressive interest rates and fun perks, says Ruth Jackson. Mini bonds aren’t as good an investment as they look.
16 Nov 2018
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Art, tech stocks and the financial canary’s last gasp
From art to tech stocks, things are changing fast in the financial world, says Merryn Somerset Webb. And it’s all down to rising bond yields.
15 Oct 2018
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Markets are cyclical – but how can you tell where we are in the cycle?
Everyone knows markets move in cycles. But nobody knows exactly when the cycle will turn. John Stepek looks at where we might be now, and what that me…
2 Oct 2018