The bond yield curve inverted in October 2022. When that occurred, it started a countdown to recession. At least it has every time since 1968. Specifically, for the last eight recessions since 1968, every single recession was...more
Stock Market Commentary - The S&P 500 Index fell 3.30% during the third quarter of 2023, with growth stocks losing slightly less than value stocks. Interest rate–sensitive stocks in the utilities and real estate sectors...more
Bond markets have been in upheaval recently, with knock-on impacts on decisions on whether to make or defend calls on performance security on construction projects. In the first quarter of this year, we saw the continued...more
US leveraged loan and high yield bond markets saw significant declines in issuance in 2022, as macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty drove up borrowing costs, dampened risk appetite and significantly reduced M&A...more
Stock Market Commentary - Stocks struggled during the first half of 2022 as shifts in monetary policy, the war in Ukraine, an energy shock, and a worsening growth outlook in China unsettled markets. As of June 30th, the...more
The White House unveiled its 2023 budget to start the week, a document that outlines the Administration’s economic agenda for the year ahead. Among other proposals, the budget proposes “a new tax on American households worth...more
Volkswagen and company shareholders are “in advance talks that could lead to the initial public offering of the iconic Porsche AG sports-car maker.” Spinning off Porsche via IPO would help give VW the “fresh cash” in needs to...more
Stock Market Commentary - Thanks in part to vaccine rollouts, reopening, and monetary stimulus, the U.S. economy looks to be back on track. Along with the recovering economy, solid corporate balance sheets and robust...more
When 2019 began, the U.S. stock market had just hit the bottom of a 20% correction. An escalating trade war and rising interest rate worries were top of mind, and predictions of a looming recession were becoming more common....more
Fiat Chrysler and rival Peugeot have agreed to binding merger terms that, if approved by US and European regulators, would create a “$50 billion auto giant that would rank among the world’s largest car companies by sales”....more
After the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission announced 12 measures to open up China’s banking and insurance industry in May, the Financial Stability and Development Committee under the State Council announced...more
Stock Market Commentary - Trade and interest rates continued to be the headline market movers for the third quarter. In late July, as expected, the Fed cut rates a quarter percent and recommitted to "act as appropriate"...more
The LMA Early Evening Seminar at Hogan Lovells Amsterdam on 1 October 2019 explored some trends in the leveraged finance market, with reports of a very healthy Dutch market, notwithstanding effects of Brexit, recession...more
Green bonds are hot. According to the Climate Bonds Initiative, global green bond issuances in 2019 exceeded $150 billion USD through August and forecasts have increased to $250 billion USD for the year. If these forecasts...more
Amidst all the background noise about possible trade wars and retaliatory measures, it seems like a good time to take a step back and reflect on one of the most emblematic representations of Chinese global 'soft power': the...more
In 2016, global sponsors and their advisers were successful in continuing to export their experiences from financing transactions in the US leveraged loan and global bond markets to the European leveraged loan market and this...more
AT&T has dropped plans to sell the Mate 10—the newest smartphone from China’s Huawei Technologies—just before the partnership was to be announced. AT&T gave no reasons for its abrupt reversal, but lawmakers have recently...more
Stock Market Commentary - The third quarter of 2017 brought the devastation of multiple hurricanes, escalating tensions with North Korea, the Equifax breach and more White House drama. Yet, investors focused on positive...more
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) launched its new Asian Bond Grant Scheme (the Scheme) on 9 January 2017 with the stated aims of strengthening the Asian bond market and encouraging Asian issuers to raise...more
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced on Jan. 10, 2017, that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (Port Authority) agreed to admit wrongdoing and pay a $400,000 penalty in connection with...more
In a closely watched battle over the DOL’s new fiduciary rule for retirement account investment advisers, the Labor Department has scored an early first victory. A DC federal judge ruled late last week that the rule at issue...more