Harvard Returns to Market with a $675 Million Bond Sale
Harvard University is pricing a $675 million tranche of unsecured general‑obligation revenue bonds, rated Aaa by Moody’s and AAA by S&P. The proceeds will fund campus construction, refinance 2016 bonds and repay commercial paper. The sale comes amid ongoing federal lawsuits, cash‑monitoring requirements, and heightened political pressure from the Trump administration. Harvard’s total outstanding bonds rise to about $8.3 billion, following $1.2 billion issued last year.
Jeffrey Sherman: Oil Price Causing Its Own Rate Hike | CNBC
Jeffrey Sherman of DoubleLine told CNBC that soaring oil prices are effectively creating a self‑inflicted rate hike, urging the Federal Reserve to look beyond commodity‑driven inflation and focus on labor‑market dynamics. He cautioned against aggressive cuts to the federal‑funds rate,...
IDB Invest and Proparco Partner with Millicom to Expand Digital Infrastructure Across Latin America
IDB Invest and French development finance firm Proparco are jointly investing $100 million in a Colombian‑peso‑denominated bond issued by Millicom International Cellular. Each institution will anchor $50 million, financing network upgrades across Bolivia, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama and Paraguay. The proceeds...
BIG NUMBER 3.73%
Investors now expect the Federal Reserve’s benchmark federal funds rate to end 2026 at 3.73%, near the top of its current 3.50‑3.75% range. This marks a 70‑basis‑point increase from a month ago when three cuts were anticipated, driven by heightened...
Credit Crunch: GSAM’s McClain on High Yield Risks, Resilience
Goldman Sachs Asset Management’s high‑yield co‑head John McClain says the post‑COVID high‑yield market remains robust, with scarce new issuance, minimal downgrades and strong investor demand anchored by elevated base rates. Credit spreads are holding at reasonable levels, reflecting solid underlying...
Treasury Curve Steepens After Weeks of Flattening
The U.S. Treasury yield curve, which has been flattening throughout 2026, showed a modest steepening on Friday as the 5‑year note held at 4.07% and the 30‑year bond nudged up to 4.98% by market close. The move came after bullish...
Treasury Yields Slip as Trump Talks About Peace, Ahead of Labor Data
Treasury yields slipped as President Trump hinted at progress in peace talks and investors turned to upcoming labor data. The 10‑year yield fell to about 4.37% and the two‑year to 3.86% early, later adjusting to roughly 4.40% and 3.89% per...
Bank of America Has Blunt Message on Stocks and Bonds for Q2
Bank of America technical analyst Paul Ciana warns that the second quarter will be challenging for equities, bonds and gold. He sees the S&P 500 in a downtrend with downside targets at 6,340, 6,175 and 6,000 and resistance near 6,810....
Tudor Investment Corp ET AL Purchases 6,423 Shares of iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF $AGG
Tudor Investment Corp boosted its stake in the iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG) by 83.2% in the third quarter, adding 6,423 shares for a total of 14,142 shares worth roughly $1.42 million. The move follows a wave of new...
Zenkyoren Targets Mid-Guidance Pricing for $100m Nakama Re 2026-1 Japan Quake Cat Bond
Zenkyoren, Japan’s agricultural mutual insurer, is pursuing mid‑guidance pricing of 2.1% for its $100 million Nakama Re 2026‑1 catastrophe bond, a slight reduction from the original 1.9‑2.4% spread range. The bond provides fully‑collateralized earthquake reinsurance covering losses from an attachment point...
OpEd: Money Managers: Note Shifts in Bonds
David Kang argues that Los Angeles institutions must reassess long‑standing bond assumptions as market conditions evolve. Decades of low volatility and steady monetary policy gave way to wider non‑directional interest‑rate swings, challenging traditional duration‑heavy, long‑end allocations. Liquidity, once taken for granted,...
Why Faster Corporate Bond Markets Matter for the Real Economy
Recent record‑breaking corporate bond issuance, led by Amazon, has shrunk capital‑raising windows from weeks to mere hours. The speed of credit markets now hinges on rapid interpretation of massive data flows, yet many firms still rely on outdated terminals and...
Pockets-of-US-CMBS-Repay-Attention
US commercial mortgage‑backed securities (CMBS) are showing localized repayment activity after a period of muted performance. Structured‑credit executives highlighted that specific asset classes, such as retail and multifamily properties, are seeing improved cash‑flow and lower delinquency rates. The article notes...
JPMorgan, Pimco Say Bond Market Is Underestimating Slowdown Risk
JPMorgan and asset manager Pimco warned that the bond market is downplaying the risk of a sharp economic slowdown triggered by the ongoing US‑Iran conflict. Crude oil has surged past $110 a barrel, intensifying inflation pressures. Traders have largely fixated...
Markets Move to Price in Rate Hikes as Inflation Fears and Geopolitics Reshape Fed Expectations
Markets have shifted from expecting Federal Reserve cuts to pricing in rate hikes for 2026. The CME FedWatch Tool now shows about a 30% chance rates will end the year higher than the current 3.50‑3.75% range, while odds of cuts...
Emerging Markets Rout Lures Contrarians Betting on Rate Cuts
Emerging‑market assets have entered their steepest monthly decline since 2022, with stocks down about 10% and local‑currency bond yields at two‑year highs. Asset managers TT International and AllianceBernstein are buying beaten‑down EM bonds, betting that central banks will cut rates...
SPAB: Why Stepping Out On The Duration Risk Spectrum Now Makes Sense
State Street’s SPDR Portfolio Aggregate Bond ETF (SPAB) has earned a buy rating as its yield‑to‑maturity climbs to roughly 4.7%, outpacing money‑market and Treasury rates by about 1.1 percentage points. The fund offers low‑cost, diversified exposure to high‑grade U.S. investment‑grade...
These NPS Schemes Weathered the 18-Month Market Pain
Over the 18‑month market downturn from September 2024 to March 2026, National Pension System (NPS) equity schemes declined 9.3%, outperforming the Nifty 100 (‑11%) and large‑cap mutual funds (‑9.7%). Corporate‑bond NPS schemes posted a solid 10.2% gain, beating the CRISIL Composite index’s 8.1%...
Why Active Bond Management Matters When Spreads Are Tight
The investment‑grade bond market posted a 7.77% total return in 2025, but credit spreads tightened, limiting passive yield opportunities. In that environment, Infrastructure Capital’s actively managed Bond Income ETF (BNDS) seeks value through selective credit exposure. Launched in January 2025,...
USHY: Why The High Yield Isn't As Attractive As It Looks
The iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (USHY) trades at roughly a 7 % yield, but after accounting for defaults and recoveries only about 1–2 % truly compensates investors for credit risk. Its current spread of roughly 300 basis points...
Westgate Resorts Raises $207 Million in Timeshare ABS
Westgate Resorts announced a $207 million asset‑backed securities (ABS) issuance to securitize cash flow from its timeshare mortgage loans. Structured as a 144A transaction, the Westgate Resorts 2026‑1 deal will issue four tranches—Class A, B, C and D—set to mature on October 20, 2039. The...
Morningstar DBRS Confirms Credit Ratings on All Classes of JPMCC Multifamily Housing Mortgage Loan Trust 2025-Q032 and Freddie Mac Structured...
Morningstar DBRS confirmed credit ratings for all classes of JPMCC Multifamily Housing Mortgage Loan Trust 2025‑Q032 and Freddie Mac Structured Pass‑Through Certificates Series Q‑032, assigning AAA to Class A, A (low) to Class B, and BBB (low) to Class C, with a stable trend....
Morningstar DBRS Confirms Republic of Croatia at "A", Stable Trend
Morningstar DBRS confirmed that the Republic of Croatia’s long‑term sovereign ratings—both foreign and local currency—remain at “A” with a Stable trend. The short‑term ratings were also reaffirmed at R‑1 (low) for both currency types. All four ratings carry the EU...
Morningstar DBRS Confirms the Kingdom of Denmark at AAA, Stable Trend
Morningstar DBRS reaffirmed Denmark’s long‑term sovereign rating at AAA with a stable trend, while its short‑term rating remains at R‑1 (high). The Danish economy posted 2.9% real GDP growth in 2025, propelled by robust pharmaceutical exports and rising private consumption....
Missouri Ice Rink Facility Defaults on Revenue Bonds
The Maryland Heights‑owned Centene Community Ice Center has drawn on its debt‑service reserve to meet a March principal payment on its $50.2 million Series 2018A revenue bonds and has defaulted on the $5.5 million Series 2018B subordinate bonds. Outstanding principal on the Series A bonds...
CreditSights Winnie Cisar on Credit Risk, Junk Bonds
Winnie Cisar highlighted that less than 10% of private credit is owned by retail investors, making the asset class vulnerable to redemption pressures. Recent redemption requests expose a liquidity‑mismatch risk, especially as private credit has historically provided crucial funding to...
Rising Treasury Yields Are Spooking Investors: Should Buy-and-Hold Investors Care?
The 10‑Year Treasury yield, which peaked above 5% in late 2023, has rebounded to roughly 4.4% after a dip to 3.8% in August 2024, reflecting lingering inflation and geopolitical risks. The Federal Reserve has held rates steady this year, but...
Centre to Borrow ₹8.2 Trillion in FY27 First Half; No Impact of Iran War — Yet
The Indian government has announced a borrowing plan of ₹8.2 trillion (about $99 billion) for the first half of FY27, keeping the target unchanged despite the ongoing West Asia conflict. The plan calls for 26 weekly auctions of securities ranging from three...
DZ Bank Launches Bond Framework for Civil Defence and Resilience
DZ Bank announced a new bond framework dedicated to financing civil defence and resilience projects. The structure emphasizes a use‑of‑proceeds label that directs capital toward security‑related infrastructure while explicitly excluding armaments. The bank is consulting with development finance institutions (DFIs)...
Fitch Keeps Israel Credit Rating at A with Negative Outlook as War Costs Mount
Fitch reaffirmed Israel’s sovereign credit rating at A with a negative outlook on March 27, 2026, citing escalating war costs and fiscal strain. The agency highlighted that the ongoing Operation Lion’s Roar and northern front clashes forced Israel to exceed its budget...
Wolfspeed Reduces Senior Secured Note Balance by 43% After Raising $475.9m in Private Placements
Wolfspeed Inc. raised $475.9 million through a $379 million 3.5% convertible senior secured note offering and $96.9 million of equity and pre‑funded warrants. The proceeds were used to redeem $475.9 million of its 2030 senior secured notes, slashing the outstanding balance by 43%. The...
GAM: Swiss Re ILS Partnership Enhanced Liquidity, Improved Dealing Terms. New Products Planned
GAM Investments announced that its catastrophe bond and insurance‑linked securities (ILS) partnership with Swiss Re’s SRILIAC subsidiary is now fully activated, bringing together multi‑billion‑dollar ILS assets. The co‑management arrangement grants GAM access to Swiss Re’s underwriting expertise, risk management and...
WRISE Partners with ChinaAMC on Hong Kong Bond Fund Debut
WRISE Prestige has struck a strategic partnership with China Asset Management (Hong Kong) to become the exclusive launch partner for the ChinaAMC Select Asia Bond Fund’s Income share class in Hong Kong. The fund, which follows a flexible, benchmark‑unconstrained approach...
Rates Spark: The EUR Curve Is at a Delicate Balance
Eurozone short‑term rates are climbing in lockstep with Brent oil, which has stayed above $100 per barrel, while longer‑dated rates show signs of strain. The 2‑year‑to‑5‑year segment is flattening and could invert if oil breaches $120, suggesting a potential ECB...
Private Credit: Out of Favor Today, in 401(k)s Tomorrow
Private credit funds are facing short‑term pressure as investors withdraw capital amid falling interest rates, reducing loan‑interest spreads. The U.S. Department of Labor is expected to issue a rule that would legally allow 401(k) plans to allocate a portion of...
Portfolio Trading for Rates and Credit Is Live on MTS BondVision
Euronext’s MTS BondVision platform has launched Portfolio Trading for rates and credit, enabling buyside clients to execute baskets of bonds simultaneously via API and GUI. The service, built with dealers and buyside input, already supported trades in European government bonds,...
East Bay MUD Set to Price $675M in Water Revenue Bonds
East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) will price $675 million of water‑system revenue bonds, split between a $329 million green series and a $365 million refunding series. The issuance arrives amid heightened market volatility caused by the Israel‑Iran conflict, yet EBMUD’s strong credit...
Archwest Mortgage Trust 2026-RTL1: Credit Rating Report
Morningstar DBRS issued provisional‑to‑final credit ratings for Archwest Mortgage Trust’s 2026‑RTL1 residential mortgage‑backed securities. The A1 tranche received an A (low) rating, A2 was assigned BBB (low), M1 earned BB (low) and the most junior M2 tranche was rated B...
US Sells 7-Year Notes at 4.255% vs 4.252% WI
The U.S. Treasury auctioned $44 billion of 7‑year notes at a 4.255% yield, just 0.3 basis points above the when‑issued rate, a tighter tail than the 2.0 bps and 1.3 bps seen in recent 2‑year and 5‑year sales. Meanwhile, 2‑year yields surged 8.8 bps...
Golden Bar (Securitisation) S.r.l. - Series 2026-1: Credit Rating Report
DBRS Ratings GmbH (Morningstar DBRS) issued provisional credit ratings for Golden Bar (Securitisation) S.r.l.’s Series 2026‑1 on March 26, 2026. The senior Class A notes received a AAA rating, while Class B was rated AA and Classes C, E, and D received A‑level ratings. The lower‑rated Class A2 notes...
As Long-Term Bonds Fail to Protect Again, Where Can Investors Find Safety?
Manulife Investment Management’s CIO Nathan Thooft warns that long‑duration U.S. Treasury bonds have again failed to act as a hedge, as equities and bonds moved together amid the US‑Israeli conflict and rising inflation. He argues that the positive equity‑bond correlation,...
A Lost Decade for Bonds Means High-Quality Stocks Are Best Way to Protect...
Morgan Stanley's chief U.S. equity strategist Mike Wilson warns that bonds will deliver a lost decade of returns. He argues that persistent, three‑decade inflation driven by war‑related debt and pandemic stimulus makes high‑quality U.S. stocks the best hedge. Wilson recommends...
Europe Bond Market Doubts Grow Over Recovery From War Rout
European sovereign bond markets remain under pressure after a sharp sell‑off triggered by the Middle East war, and analysts say a swift end to the conflict is unlikely to spark a rapid rebound. Intermittent rallies have emerged on hopes of...
Vanke Seeks Bond Delay Again as It Works on Restructuring Plan
China Vanke Co., a distressed property developer, has approached holders of its yuan‑denominated bond maturing on April 23 to seek a payment postponement. In meetings last week, Vanke indicated it is also weighing a broader restructuring that could involve extending...
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Why Preferred Stock Values Differ: A Guide for Investors
Preferred stocks blend equity and debt traits, featuring a fixed face (par) value that determines dividend calculations, while their market value fluctuates with investor sentiment and interest rates. The article explains how callable and retractable preferreds differ, noting that issuers...
Pagaya Offers $586.2 Million in Consumer Loan ABS
Pagaya Structured Products is launching a $586.2 million asset‑backed securities (ABS) program backed by unsecured consumer loans from 11 partner lenders. The deal comprises 15 note classes, most maturing on November 15, 2033, with the senior A1 tranche extending to April 15, 2027. Credit enhancement...
Snowy 2.0 Budget to Be Exhausted in Coming Months, Ratings Agency Says, as Gas Plant Hit by New Delays
Snowy Hydro’s flagship Snowy 2.0 pumped‑hydro scheme, a 2,200 MW storage project, is projected to breach its $12 bn AUD (≈$7.9 bn USD) capex by fiscal 2026, with the work only 70% complete. The federal government has already supplied $5.98 bn AUD (≈$3.9 bn USD) in...
This Corner of the EM Bond Market Is Worth Checking Out
Emerging‑market corporate bonds are delivering yields well above U.S. benchmarks, and the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Corporate Bond Fund (EMCB) exemplifies this trend with a 5.07% SEC yield. The actively managed ETF holds a 3.97‑year effective duration, positioning it as an...
Torsten Slok: $14 Trillion in IG Supply Coming to the Market
Torsten Slok warns that roughly $14 trillion of intermodal (IG) capacity will hit the market over the next two years, driven by a wave of new rail, truck and terminal assets. The surge could outpace demand, creating excess supply in freight...
Citigroup's Seasoned Mortgage Pool Secured $1 Billion in RMBS
Citigroup’s Mortgage Loan Trust issued a $1 billion residential mortgage‑backed securities (RMBS) transaction, CMLTI 2026‑RP1, backed by seasoned loans originated in 2019 or earlier. The pool shows strong performance, with 90.3% of loans maintaining a clean payment history and a low delinquency...