New Canadian Bonds Are Backed By Junk Rated Retailers And Consumer Loans Charging 40% Interest
In a unique twist on the excesses of the last credit bubble, Canada’s bond market is now issuing bonds backed by increasingly riskier assets, but that hasn’t stopped investors from jumping at the chance to buy them – because why would history ever repeat itself when central bankers are here to make sure there is no more risk, ever?
According to Bloomberg, some popular recent deals have included debt backed by assets like mortgages on junk-rated Hudson’s Bay stores and consumer loans that charge interest rates of up to 40%. There is also new debt being backed by home-equity lines of credit, credit cards, and auto loans/leases. Non-banking mortgage lenders may also soon issue similar debt, according to the report. In fact, the only thing that differentiates the current Canadian bond issuance frenzy from what took place in the US in 2005-2006 is… well… we’ll get back to you on that.
These bonds in Canada are starting to hit the market as Canada’s own bond market inverts with the yield on the 10 year government bond trading below the Bank of Canada’s overnight rate. Consumer spending has been poor and inflation has been weak in the country, however its economy recorded its best monthly advance in growth in eight months in January, and has an unemployment rate of 5.8%, a four decade low, so all must be well…
Randall Malcolm, senior managing director of fixed income at Sun Life Investment Management said: “The flattening of the curve, in which you see the ten year bonds inside the overnight rate is prompting investors to hunt for yield.”
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