Investments

Cheap funding costs have extended a lifeline to many troubled companies, slowing the pace of U.S. bankruptcy filings, but shops, offices and hotels have been particularly vulnerable to the pandemic this month.

About $16 billion across 43 deals in both new-issue and refinancing has prompted analysts into making early revisions to raise their initial volume forecasts.

More may be on the horizon as lenders lose patience with defaulting property owners.

The volume of Ginnie securities issued in December marked the first time more than $80 billion has been issued in a month.

Distressed debt funds on average gained 11.4%, according to Hedge Fund Research Inc., compared to the riskiest corporate bonds rising 2.3%.

Although returns may be lower than in recent years, CLO securities (particularly the senior-rated tranches) remain very attractive compared to alternative investments.

The deal between San Francisco-based lender and Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings Corp. V is latest example of a closely held firm going public by merging with a special purpose acquisition company.

Energy, retail and consumer services companies led a total of 244 filings, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Bausch, formerly Valeant Pharmaceuticals, has paid down more than $24 billion of the $32 billion in leverage it owed five years ago from a debt-driven acquisition spree — which ended after a drug-pricing scandal.

The reference pools of mortgages supporting the credit-risk transfer notes sold by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were 'generally lower' in delinquencies per newly issued monthly reports, says DBRS Morningstar.