The latest annual instalment from PwC Debt Watch Europe provides incredible insights into the key trends and activity that occurred within European Debt Markets in 2021.
As they highlight, 2021 was yet another strong year for the market, with Investment Grade issuances normalising to pre-pandemic levels alongside a record year for the High Yield market, driven by lower yields and strong availability.
A real highlight of the report is the clear emphasis on Green/ESG bonds which 'saw nearly double the number and value of deals in 2021 compared to 2020, highlighting the clear focus on green/sustainable finance from both investors and issuers'* The sector still faces challenges around frameworks and governance - something which we are looking forward to assisting with at Inveztor - it's great to hear the PwC team highlighting that despite the challenges 'there is positivity from both the issuer and investor community to ensure this happens. Regulatory framework remains light in this area, however the EU has led the way and issued its proposed Green Bond standard in 2021. We would expect other countries and regulators to reflect this stance and take greater interest in the area as the market matures'.
Read the full report here:
https://www.pwc.co.uk/services/risk/insights/debt-watch-europe.html
* PwC Debt Watch Europe 2021 Annual Review Summary
