World in transition: Four themes

Plentiful liquidity supports a year-on-year rise in high yield bond issuance in the US, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region  

A brightening macroeconomic outlook and supportive deal environment helped push second-quarter value to a new record.

Borrowers are taking advantage of buoyant leveraged loan markets in the US and Europe to reprice existing credits at lower interest rates, and lenders are happy to oblige

Highly competitive and liquid markets saw leveraged loan issuance in the US and Europe surge, while activity in Asia-Pacific dipped despite high-profile jumbo deals

European non-performing loan trends in a post-COVID-19 world

Rising to challenges, funding a recovery response and leading the way to sustainable lending

Despite challenges, Africa remains an attractive PE and VC investment destination

Many leveraged finance dealmakers welcomed the certainty and stability President Biden's election brought to capital markets but attention will now turn to what the new administration means for the markets in the long-term

Although most SPAC activity is concentrated in the US, the boom in listings spells opportunities for European firms

When COVID-19 closed the IPO window at the start of last year, expectations were bleak. But the market fought back and 2020 ended on a high.

The European leveraged finance market remains resilient following a year of unprecedented hardship, as lenders dissect credits to determine the best possible deals, from business fundamentals to pricing and documentary terms

Opportunities in uncertain times  

European Leveraged Finance Client Alert Series: February 2021

Record SPAC issuance is expected to boost M&A activity, supporting additional leveraged finance issuance, while financial sponsors take advantage of the opportunity to exit existing investments.

COVID-19 disruption and tension between the US and China saw loan and high yield bond issuance decline across Asia-Pacific in 2020, and borrowers and lenders remain cautious

The European leveraged finance market remains resilient after a year of unprecedented hardship, as lenders dissect credits to determine the best possible deals, from pricing to documentary terms

Europe's recognition of the importance of fast and reliable connectivity predates the pandemic but as the demand for broadband connectivity has soared due to lockdown measures, how are countries across Europe placed for funding this high-speed provision?

The use of net asset value finance by private equity firms has spiked under COVID-19 as managers explore new sources of liquidity in a weak M&A market

Refinancing activity has proven an attractive option amid COVID-19 disruption, with borrowers in good standing seeking to extend maturities and take advantage of low interest rates

Chinese real estate lenders lift APAC high yield bond issuance after an active Q3

Dividend recapitalization activity plunged in the immediate aftermath of COVID-19 but, as markets recovered, investor appetite for recap deals swelled

The oil and gas sector has been one of the hardest hit by COVID-19 lockdowns and there has been little relief as restructurings rise across the industry