Companies are going bankrupt at the fastest pace since 2009 and there’s no end in sight as rates rise and the economy sputters, according to Jeremy Hill, who covers distressed debt for Bloomberg News. Lenders are no longer providing fresh liquidity to zombie firms across sectors -- from retail to commercial real estate -- leaving them to perish. In this episode of the Credit Edge Podcast, Bloomberg News senior editor James Crombie also talks to Bloomberg Intelligence credit analyst Jaimin Patel about the outlook for US utilities, a refuge from heightened economic and financial stress. Patel weighs the risks -- including access to capital markets and the impact of higher rates -- as well as the ESG opportunities for investors. 

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Investors in troubled company debt are excited about the opportunities in banks, retail and health care as rates grind higher and the economy sputters, with one fund making $30 million on a single distressed debt trade. Consumers have been resilient but cracks are spreading, while a shift to electric vehicles adds stress in autos, according to Erin Hudson, who covers distressed debt for Bloomberg News.

In this episode of the Credit Edge Podcast, Bloomberg News senior editor James Crombie also talks to Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Paul Vickars about European energy and utilities. High oil prices have created a windfall and the region is less exposed to volatility from Russia, Vickars says. The UK’s SSE is one to watch as companies sell more green, sustainability and transition bonds.

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Credit markets are cracking up as liquidity evaporates, according to Jill Shah, who covers leveraged finance for Bloomberg News in New York. Small businesses are struggling to borrow, distressed debt has surged, defaults are ticking up, banks have tightened lending standards and bankruptcies are on the rise, particularly in construction and retail. In this episode of the Credit Edge Podcast, Bloomberg News senior editor James Crombie asks whether this is all bad for the US economy. Bloomberg Intelligence credit analyst Robert Schiffman, meanwhile, says he’s never been more bullish about the technology sector, despite all the fundamental headwinds. First-quarter earnings are showing signs of a turnaround, the biggest companies are generating a lot of excess cash and the outlook for investors is bright, Schiffman says.

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Distressed companies are moving assets out of lenders’ reach to raise new funds and buy time as higher interest rates and a slower economy bite. These controversial debt moves — known as drop-downs — are fueling a rash of creditor lawsuits, according to Reshmi Basu, who covers distressed debt for Bloomberg News. In this episode of the Credit Edge Podcast, Bloomberg News senior editor James Crombie also talks to Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Himanshu Bakshi about winners and losers in the financial sector. A steep decline in First Republic’s stock revives concerns about the health of banks, but most are in good shape and credit-card issuers are well-placed to ride out a US recession, Bakshi says.

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The restructuring of China Evergrande’s massive debt pile has been one of the riskiest bets in all of distressed investing. Redwood and Saba are among funds that recently endorsed a plan hammered out by the property-development giant and global creditors, according to Rachel Butt, a reporter at Bloomberg News in New York. In this episode of the Credit Edge Podcast, Bloomberg News senior editor James Crombie also talks to Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Matthew Geudtner about junk borrowers heading for investment grade despite macroeconomic headwinds. Companies in the travel and leisure sector are doing particularly well amid “revenge spending” by US consumers with pent-up demand after years of Covid-19 restrictions. Howmet Aerospace, an aircraft material supplier, is one to watch, Geudtner says. 

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The takeover by creditors of German retailer Takko Fashion, with a solid operating performance, highlights the rising risk for junk-rated issuers facing a mountain of debt coming due. Some will require drastic solutions as funding costs jump and the economy slows, according to Giulia Morpurgo, a reporter at Bloomberg News in London. In this episode of the Credit Edge Podcast, Bloomberg News senior editor James Crombie also talks to Hong Kong-based Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Pri de Silva about opportunity in the financial sector following the recent collapse of banks in the US and Europe. Additional Tier 1 securities are poised for a comeback — with imminent issuance in Asia — and they’re too good for investors to miss given relatively high yields, says de Silva.

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Wall Street banks lost billions of dollars on leveraged buyout financing that they committed to before rates surged. A junk debt market reopening allows them to sell some of that down, but there are lingering concerns about the ability of very risky companies to access funds, according to Paula Seligson, a reporter at Bloomberg News in New York. In this episode of the Credit Edge Podcast, Bloomberg News senior editor James Crombie also asks London-based Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Aidan Cheslin about opportunities and risks in the telecom, media and technology sector. Hybrid corporate bonds battered by the banking crisis may now offer value after the companies selling them emerged mostly unscathed.

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The banking crisis has made it harder and more expensive to borrow, tipping some of the riskiest companies into distress. In this episode of the Credit Edge Podcast, Eliza Ronalds-Hannon, who covers credit markets for Bloomberg News in Atlanta, looks at the biggest losers and winners — including Saba Capital Management’s Boaz Weinstein. Bloomberg News senior editor James Crombie also asks Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Spencer Cutter about opportunities in the energy sector. Oil companies that survived prior crises are in good shape to weather the next storm, offering a safe haven. Cutter also weighs the credit impact of Warren Buffett increasing his stake in Occidental Petroleum, a big part of many debt portfolios.

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The takeover of Credit Suisse by UBS included pulling the pin on $17 billion of risky CoCo bonds, also known as Additional Tier 1s (AT1s), and sending shockwaves through global debt markets. In this episode of the Credit Edge Podcast, Tasos Vossos, who covers credit markets for Bloomberg News in London, weighs the impact of the Swiss bank’s demise and the collapse of its AT1s. And Bloomberg News senior editor James Crombie asks Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Jody Lurie about funding risks for highly-indebted companies in the cruise, gaming and lodging sectors. As interest rates surge and earnings slump, junk-rated borrowers are exposed, but there are some hotel diamonds in the rough.

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Credit Suisse debt plunged into distress after the collapse of SVB Financial Group, spreading fear through the global banking sector. In this episode of the Credit Edge Podcast, Bloomberg News senior editor James Crombie asks Bloomberg Intelligence credit analysts Arnold Kakuda and Jeroen Julius whether this is a Lehman Brothers moment for financial institutions. Bloomberg News reporter Amelia Pollard also digs into the impact of SVB’s failure.

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