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If capital markets become roulette, sentiment will be the victim
By backing too many speculative IPOs, investment banks could threaten the whole market
Falling interest rates, returning inflows and a wave of pandemic-era redemptions mean CEEMEA bond market participants have high expectations for 2026. This optimism comes after a record-breaking year for issuance — and by quite some margin — meaning that 2025 will be a tough act to follow, writes George Collard
Estonia's Coop Pank enters securitization market with €249m SRT
First exclusively Estonian securitization the European Investment Bank has supported
Viva la fiesta: LatAm mart awaits primary afterparty after record year for bonds
With Latin America bond issuance smashing through its previous record, market participants think the peak has passed. A market tipped to turn tougher is the reason, which will make 2026 a year when issuers and bankers will have to earn every basis point, writes George Collard, with volumes expected to stay high
Falling interest rates, returning inflows and a wave of pandemic-era redemptions mean CEEMEA bond market participants have high expectations for 2026. This optimism comes after a record-breaking year for issuance — and by quite some margin — meaning that 2025 will be a tough act to follow, writes George Collard
Sub-sections
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A booming 2025 investment grade corporate bond market in Europe set a high bar as investors brace to pay higher premiums and shift to the belly of the curve in 2026. Meanwhile, capex, M&A and Reverse Yankees look set to keep the pipeline full, write Diana Bui and Frank Jackman -
The European FIG market rode through 2025 on high demand for credit, providing bank issuers, large and small, with extremely advantageous funding conditions. Although investors have also benefitted from strong secondary market performance, as Atanas Dinov reports, that equilibrium may change in 2026, with anticipation mounting that spreads will widen
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The CEEMEA primary bond market in 2025 shattered the record for bond issuance by some distance. Investors flocked to buy ahead of US interest rate cuts, meaning the market was open to just about every issuer. It is hard to find too many deals that were not a success, making this the pick of a very large crop
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Investment grade companies demonstrated just how much liquidity was sloshing around in the euro, dollar, sterling and Swiss franc markets with a string of large deals. But these bonds did not just stand out for the amount issued. Rather, they showed that there is not always a trade-off to be made between size and price
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With a relentless flow of cash into credit markets this year, almost every borrower could be said to have done well. But some issuers stood out for their ability to establish new footholds in certain markets that have since paved the way for peers
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The sovereign, supranational and agency bond market in 2025 featured a number of innovative debuts, bringing new issuers to this most venerable of asset classes. Meanwhile, some of its biggest names priced stellar deals, breaking records and pioneering new formats even in volatile markets
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South Africa, historically one of the continent’s most favoured issuers, has come under intense investor scrutiny as it faces a wave of domestic unrest.
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Pundits in the ESG space are already levelling disappointed criticisms at the ECB’s new green monetary policy strategy. But while it may not be perfect, it is important to recognise that the ECB has taken a valuable and important step forward.
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Originally a self-regulated sphere in which voluntary principles underpinned activity, ESG debt is attracting increasing regulatory focus — especially in Europe, where the EU’s ambitious Action Plan on Sustainable Finance is creating a demanding new framework around the market. What does this imply for issuers and investors? And are other regions in step with European developments? Clifford Chance and Latham & Watkins clarify the state of play.
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Pivotal players in capital markets through their credit ratings, rating agencies are responding to investors’ increasing focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors by providing ESG ratings too. But how do the two products differ and is there room for both, given ESG’s growing influence on credit risk? Experts from Moody’s ESG Solutions explain their approach.
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Central banks have become integral to the fight against climate change in financial markets. Participants now expect them to wield their immense influence through many avenues of their work — economic analysis, metrics, supervision, investment and even monetary policy.
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While the initial focus of sustainable finance efforts was largely on environmental action, social factors have grown increasingly prominent in recent years — underscored by the establishment of the Social Bond Principles in 2017. Subsequently, Covid and racial tensions in the US have each highlighted social disparities that are leading issuers and investors to treat diversity and inclusion as key parameters too.
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Debt financing to become more sophisticated as the race to build data centres across Europe heats up
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JP Morgan sole bookrunner on first jumbo block in a month
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This week Tom Hall and Thomas Hopkins discuss how Enpal's return heated up the ABS market and take the CLO equity market's temperature
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Company's relationship banks provided the funding
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UK chancellor got the big things right in the Budget but made damaging unforced errors
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Emerging markets are particularly vulnerable to protests led by disgruntled youth
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Artificial intelligence is everywhere — but what is it doing? Capital market specialists think about it constantly, even if only because they are told to, with feelings ranging from delight to horror. Market participants are exploring myriad ways both to use AI, writes Jon Hay, and neutralise its risks
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December is a strange time to be in the capital markets. Embrace it
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This week a managing director deals with the awkwardness of their boss finding out they had been in contention for a job at another firm
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First deal of its kind more than 1.5 times subscribed
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Deal complexity, new issuer premium sees trade start more than 100bp wide of last WBS
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Gym franchise wants to refinance paper issued in 2022
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Sponsored by Islamic Development Bank (IsDB)
Sukuk market’s next chapter: Financing the future, sustainably
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Sponsored by CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean
CAF gearing up to transform regional development
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Sponsored by Emirates NBD Capital
Emirates NBD Capital: An unrivalled conduit for Middle East liquidity
