The bond market blues have been difficult as rising rates have started to really deflate a lot of funds. However, active bond funds have had an edge because not been pegged to indices they have freely navigated to localized emerging market debt. From HSBC to BNP many of the largest funds are buying up localized EM debt because many of these countries’ central banks tightened monetary policy last year and the rate hikes are already built-in. So as bond prices go down in the U.S. and inflation risk remains high, hawkish central banks in Russia, South Africa, Indonesia, China, and South Korea have all soured because localized currency means higher real payout and with relatively lofty interest rates the funds have a more promising horizon.

FINSUM: 12-Months ago the U.S. was looking at Emerging Markets as crazy for tightening the belt too quickly, but now these emerging markets are ahead of inflation and their bonds are soaring.

China has banked an inordinate amount of U.S. dollars in the last couple of months as trade surpluses and inflows flow into its bond market. The Chinese trade surplus through September was about $100 billion larger than its 5 year average preceding the pandemic. This current account will provide a buffer against any foreign debt problems regardless of any economic situations China faces this year. The current account surplus could allow China to deleverage its corporate debt market, particularly in real estate, which has faced a difficult bond market. China’s dollar holdings have allowed the yuan to appreciate like other emerging market currencies, such as in Russia and Columbia. Holding greenbacks is a bet on a growing U.S. Economy, and could help China hedge their slower growth.

FINSUM: The large current surplus could mean myriad things for China, but it could also just be another symptom of the global economic disruption due to Covid-19.

(New York)

Investors in India have by in large part stayed away from their own high yield corporate bonds, but wary investors from China have done the opposite. India’s high yield bond issuers set a $9 billion-dollar record from international investors which tripled last year’s inflows. Many of these investors are coming from China, specifically Evergrande, whose liabilities alone double India’s entire corporate debt market. Many investors are worried that other sectors in China’s economy may come to suffer from Xi Jinping’s ‘common prosperity’. In the meantime, there are still risks to India’s debt, most notably energy prices, as India imports most of its energy. Higher energy prices increase input costs, which could cut margins.

FINSUM: Developing countries outside China are all receiving inflows in corporate and non-corporate debt investments with China’s turmoil.