If passing the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act in July 2010 did not spawn direct lending, what did? In this analysis we explore the genesis of the recent direct lending phenomenon to identify risks to the strategy and what investors should watch going forward.
June 2017
Some market participants have feared the worst for direct lending from a potential repeal of The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. In this brief, we review the data and show that changes in banks’ lending behavior cannot clearly be traced to the passage of Dodd-Frank or its implementation.
June 2017
Answers to our clients’ questions about market action and the market environment in a few paragraphs every two weeks. Yes. Issuance of ultra-long Treasury bonds (greater than 30 years to maturity, including potentially 40-, 50-, and 100-year maturities) would benefit multiple constituents. Ultra-long Treasuries would extend the investable Treasury curve for pension plans and life […]
June 2017
Answers to our clients’ questions about market action and the market environment in a few paragraphs every two weeks. No. If the interest expense deduction is eliminated, debt issuance may drop slightly, but the demand for senior and mezzanine debt will be little changed, and the risk/reward proposition is still attractive for investors. Under the […]
March 2017
While corporate plan sponsors are keenly aware of interest rate risk within their defined benefit plans, few fully appreciate the complex and significant risk posed by credit spreads.
October 2016
Defined benefit pension plans face ample challenges in the current environment of extremely low interest rates. Most agree that low yields have caused liability-hedging assets (longer-duration fixed income) to become overvalued when evaluated in isolation.
April 2013