The EU economy is on the whole showing signs of recovery, although the picture is mixed. Higher infrastructure investment is still needed to lift potential growth and address deficient demand in countries across the eurozone periphery.

In this CreditMatters TV segment, Senior Director Larry Witte discusses the 2016 default and transition study for U.S. public finance. The sector exhibited growing credit strength in 2016, but at a lower rate than in previous years. While the number of defaults increased to 15, they were primarily concentrated in one locale.

European insurer step-up hybrids have usually been called at the first call date but interest rate trends may favor not calling. In this CreditMatters TV segment, S&P Global Ratings Director David Masters discusses the credit implications of an insurer not exercising an optional call.

The U.S. distress ratio has consistently decreased on a monthly basis for one full year – to 6.9% in February from 8% in January of 2017 – the lowest level since September 2014 (5%). In this CreditMatters TV segment, Gregg Moskowitz, Associate Director of Global Fixed Income Research, discusses the factors behind these results.

S&P Global Fixed Income Research expects $202 billion of Latin American (including the Caribbean) financial and nonfinancial corporate debt to mature through 2021. In this Credit Matters TV segment, Gregg Moskowitz, Associate Director of Global Fixed Income Research, discusses the key points.

There were 238 weakest links globally as of Feb. 21, 2017, compared with 241 as of Jan. 19, 2017, marking a decline for the fourth consecutive month. In this CreditMatters TV segment, Gregg Moskowitz, Associate Director of Global Fixed Income Research, discusses the key points.

The reinsurance industry has been prospering in Brazil in spite of its current economic and competitive challenges. In this segment of CreditMatters TV, S&P Global Ratings analyst Pedro Breviglieri discusses the factors behind the industry’s growth and its outlook in the short- and medium-term.

O resseguro vem prosperando no últimos anos no Brasil apesar de seus atuais desafios econômicos e competitivos. Neste segmento de CreditMatters TV, o analista de crédito Pedro Breviglieri avalia os fatores que possibilitam o crescimento dessa indústria no país e suas perspectivas no curto e médio prazos.

The global corporate default tally jumped to 15 issuers so far in 2017, after one confidential issuer defaulted last week. The oil and gas sector continues to lead defaulters so far in 2017 with five issuers, trailed by retail with three issuers. In this CreditMatters TV segment, Gregg Moskowitz, Associate Director of Global Fixed Income Research, discusses the key points.

With the arrival of the Trump administration in the U.S., the issue of currency manipulation has re-emerged as a top-tier issue. In this CreditMatters TV segment, Asia-Pacific Chief Economist Paul Gruenwald discusses the findings on whether evidence of currency manipulation was shown in recent data.