Global Corporate Bond Issurance and Outlook

Global Corporate Bond Issurance and Outlook

After advancing by 33% annually in 2012 to a record $1.134 trillion, 2013’s US$-denominated investment grade (IG) bond issuance dipped by -1.5% to $1.119 trillion. Following 2012’s 48% annual surge, US$-denominated high yield bond issuance advanced by 11% to a record $431 billion in 2013. Also, after gaining 5% in 2012, newly rated high yield bank loan programs increased by 38% annually to $579 billion in 2013. In 2014, US$-denominated bond issuance edged up by…

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Moody’s ASIA PACIFIC Economic Outlook

Moody’s ASIA PACIFIC Economic Outlook

China’s data for the first two months of the year were fairly dismal. Most activity indicators suggest that there are large downward pressures on the economy, which means that the government will need to ease measures if it is to keep the economy growing close to its target. Industrial production grew just 6.8% y/y in the first two months of the year, down from a 7.9% increase in December. This was due to further weakness…

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Moody’s: M&A Props Up Corporate Issuance

Moody’s: M&A Props Up Corporate Issuance

A recent surge in merger activity brings the current year’s pace in line with last year’s massive gains. Such heavy dealmaking volume is likely to persist, given favourable capital markets and the desire of firms to gain scale amid weak profit growth. That merger trend can give a great lift to corporate debt issuance, despite earlier expectations for a slowdown in corporate borrowing. Adding to the favourable environment for both issuance and M&A is a…

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Moody’s: Namibia’s strong growth record and sound public finances support stable Baa3 rating

Namibia’s (Baa3 stable) small but diversified economy, strong growth record and responsible government budget management underpin its rating, Moody’s Investors Service says today in its annual Credit Analysis for the country. Namibia’s abundant natural resources, infrastructure investment and developments in the mining sector support its favourable near-term growth prospects, while government deficits have been moderate. “The government has a track record of prudent debt management and has adequate debt recording systems,” says Kristin Lindow, Senior…

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Egypt’s current account hits deficit of $2.9 bln in Oct-Dec quarter

Egypt’s current account hits deficit of $2.9 bln in Oct-Dec quarter

CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt’s current account deficit widened to $2.9 billion in the three months to December from $1.4 billion in the same period the previous year, according to Reuters calculations. The deficit stood at $4.3 billion in the first half of the fiscal year which began on July 1, compared with a deficit of $866 million in the same period a year before, the central bank said on Thursday. The deficit was driven by…

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What can $300 billion buy in Egypt? A new capital or a pipedream

What can $300 billion buy in Egypt? A new capital or a pipedream

CAIRO (Reuters) – It is a project as ambitious as Egypt’s ancient pyramids. Built from scratch to escape Cairo’s choking pollution, a planned new capital will feature an airport larger than London’s Heathrow, a building taller than Paris’s Eiffel Tower and more than 10,000 km (6,200 miles) of boulevards, avenues and streets.The city, meant to be built within just seven years, was unveiled last week at the Sharm El-Sheikh economic summit, where President Abdel Fattah…

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IMF puts Tanzania’s economic growth above 7 pct in 2014

DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) – Tanzania’s gross domestic product expanded by more than 7 percent in 2014, with falling oil prices expected to further buoy the economy this year, the International Monetary Fund said on Thursday. The IMF despite a strong growth outlook for 2015, the east African nation must keep a tight rein on public spending due to revenue collection shortfalls and a reduction in financial aid. Donors have withheld more than three-quarters of…

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