The Bond Market A Deep Dive Into Debt Investment

This paper questions the view that leverage should have forewarned us of the global financial crisis of 2007-09, pointing to several gearing indicators that were neither useful portents of the onset of the crisis nor of its ferocity. Instead it shows, first, that the use of ill-suited collateral in the secured funding operations of U.S.-based investment banks was the fatal link between the collapse of structured finance and the global malfunction of funding markets that turbocharged the downdraft; and, second, that this insight (and others) can be decrypted from the Flow of Funds Accounts of the United States.

The global economy has experienced four waves of rapid debt accumulation over the past 50 years. The first three debt waves ended with financial crises in many emerging market and developing economies. During the current wave, which started in 2010, the increase in debt in these economies has already been larger, faster, and broader-based than in the previous three waves. Current low interest rates mitigate some of the risks associated with high debt. However, emerging market and developing economies are also confronted by weak growth prospects, mounting vulnerabilities, and elevated global risks. A menu of policy options is available to reduce the likelihood that the current debt wave will end in crisis and, if crises do take place, will alleviate their impact.

Debt Markets and Investments provides an overview of the dynamic world of markets, products, valuation, and analysis of fixed income and related securities. Experts in the field, practitioners and academics, offer both diverse and in-depth insights into basic concepts and their application to increasingly intricate and real-world situations. This volume spans the entire spectrum from theoretical to practical, while attempting to offer a useful balance of detailed and user-friendly coverage. The volume begins with the basics of debt markets and investments, including basic bond terminology and market sectors. Among the topics covered are the relationship between fixed income and other asset classes as well as the differences in fundamental risk. Particular emphasis is given to interest rate risk as well as credit risks as well as those associated with inflation, liquidity, reinvestment, and ESG. Authors then turn to market sectors, including government debt, municipal bonds, the markets for corporate bonds, and developments in securitized debt markets along with derivatives and private debt markets. The third section focuses on models of yield curves, interest rates, and swaps, including opportunities for arbitrage. The next two sections focus on bond and securitized products, from sovereign debt and mutual funds focused on bonds to how securitization has increased liquidity through such innovations as mortgaged-and asset- backed securities, as well as collateralized debt-, bond-, and loan obligations. Authors next discuss various methods of valuation of bonds and securities, including the use of options and derivatives. The volume concludes with discussions of how debt can play a role in financial strategies and portfolio creation. Readers interested in a broad survey will benefit as will those looking for more in-depth presentations of specific areas within this field of study. In summary, the book provides a fresh look at this intriguing and dynamic but often complex subject.

In November 2011, the G-20 endorsed an action plan to support the development of local currency bond markets (LCBM). International institutions—the IMF, the World Bank, the EBRD, and the OECD—were asked to draw on their experience to develop a diagnostic framework (DF) to identify general preconditions, key components, and constraints for successful LCBM development. The objective is to provide a tool for analyzing the state of development and efficiency of local currency bond markets. The application of the DF is expected to be flexible, bearing in mind that the potential for LCBM development depends on economic size, financing needs, and stage of economic development.

Since 2007, the repeated financial crises around the world have brought to the headlines financial practices and models considered to fuel the economic instabilities. Deep Dive into Financial Models: Modeling Risk and Uncertainty comes handy in demystifying the underlying quantitative finance concepts. With a limited use of mathematical formalism, the book explains thoroughly the models, their hypotheses, principles and other building blocks. A particular care is given to model limitations and their misuse for investment strategies, asset pricing, or risk management. Its reader-friendly nature provides readers with a head start in quantitative finance. Request Inspection Copy Contents:Interest RatesCredit Risk ModelingPortfolio Management TheoriesNo-arbitrage TheoryThe Black-Scholes ModelVolatility ModelsNumerical MethodsValue at Risk (VaR)Non-Gaussian Models Readership: Undergraduate and graduate students who are taking up Quantitative Finance courses and those who possess college mathematical background.

Prepare for or enhance a career investing in the credit markets with this authoritative guide. The leveraged credit market is currently valued at over $4 trillion and is one of the fastest-growing asset classes, fueling demand for well-trained credit analysts. The Credit Investor's Handbook: Leveraged Loans, High Yield Bonds, and Distressed Debt is the definitive guide for young investment professionals embarking on a career investing in the leveraged credit markets – whether public, private, performing, or distressed. Experienced professionals will also immensely benefit from this guide as they refine their investment skills. Michael Gatto has twenty-five years of investing experience in the debt markets at Silver Point Capital (a $20 billion credit-focused fund) and Goldman Sachs' Special Situations Group. Furthermore, he is an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School and Fordham University's Gabelli School of Business. Michael brings these experiences together in this comprehensive manual, teaching the skills to succeed in the dynamic and complex credit markets. Michael brings highly complex case studies to life using decades of his first-hand war stories and combines them with reflections from leading industry professionals, often infused with humor, to make the book accessible, readable, and fun. Michael's seven-step credit analysis process will prepare you for a career in credit investing at the top buy-side and sell-side firms on Wall Street by teaching you the technical skills needed to invest in the debt markets. Whether you are analyzing a loan origination in the private debt market, a new issue of a broadly syndicated loan (BSL), a high-yield bond (HY), or a secondary trade, the comprehensive knowledge gained from this book will equip you to make well-founded investment recommendations. Additionally, an entire section devoted to distressed debt investing incorporates a practitioner's perspective on the nuances of bankruptcy and restructurings to develop strategies to profit from opportunities in this opaque market. In clear, straightforward terms accessible to the layperson, Michael explains strategies pursued by distressed companies such as J. Crew and Serta that have led to creditor-on-creditor violence, giving you an insider’s perspective on some of the least understood transactions in the distressed arena. You will: Gain In-Depth Knowledge: Understand the complexities of credit markets, from trading dynamics to historical credit cycles, allowing you to identify debt investment opportunities—and avoid pitfalls. Master the Analytical Framework: Learn Michael's seven-step process for analyzing credit investments, including qualitative industry and business analysis, financial statement analysis, forecasting, corporate valuation, relative value analysis, and debt structuring. Learn How to Write an Investment Recommendation: Review real-life credit memos to understand how analysts translate this framework into recommendations that drive investment decisions at the top credit funds. Discover Key Concepts and Terminology: leveraged buyout financings (LBOs), trading levels (price, yields, and spreads), shorting, and credit default swaps. Navigate Distressed Debt: Explore the strategies and nuances of distressed debt investing, including bankruptcy, subordination, creditor-on-creditor violence, and high-profile case studies from the past three decades of Chapter 11 restructurings. This book caters to finance majors pursuing investing careers, credit analysts seeking to enhance their skills, and seasoned professionals aiming to expand their expertise. Professors, researchers, lawyers, and advisors servicing the credit industry will also find immense value in this comprehensive guide.

Unearth a Gold Mine in the $1 TRILLION Junk Bond Market “Few experts in this area have been willing to share their inside knowledge with the outside world. None have done it as well and as simply and clearly as Bob Levine has done in his new book.” —Joel Greenblatt, bestselling author of The Little Book That Beats the Market “A great book by a great investor. . . . [I] recommend this book to everyone who wants to acquire some invaluable horse sense about investing in high yield bonds.” —Martin S. Fridson, author of How to Be a Billionaire “This is the best book ever written on high yield corporate bond investing. Destined to become an instant classic. . . .” —Jack Malvey, Chief Global Markets Strategist, Bank of New York Mellon Corp. "A first-rate introduction and navigation guide to the high-yield world." —Reading the Markets “This well-written and occasionally humorous tutorial on investing in speculative-grade corporate debt covers the essential aspects of high-yield debt. . . . As a basic introduction to the high-yield debt market, the book can’t be beat.” —The Financial Analysts Journal Do you think of the junk bond market as an arena of chaos, a financial Wild West, a place to avoid at all costs? In How to Make Money with Junk Bonds, a pioneer of the junk bond business gives you the insight and information you need to lay that fear to rest—so that you can generate unprecedented profits in this $1 trillion market. Robert Levine has the credentials to lead both individual investors and the professionals just getting started in the junk bond market. At Nomura Corporate Research and Asset Management, his junk bond funds substantially outperformed both high yield and S&P indices for more than 18 years—and in this book he explains the method he used to achieve such remarkable results. Helping you pick high yield bonds that have a low possibility of default. How to Make Money with Junk Bonds covers: The difference between stocks and bonds—and where junk bonds fit between them in the risk spectrum How to conduct a thorough credit analysis—the key to making money in junk bonds How to evaluate market conditions—and decide when to invest and when to sit on the sidelines Why you should hire a portfolio manager—and how to select the best one for your needs How to invest like a pro—using Levine’s personal, proven investing method The junk bond market isn’t the scary place it used to be. Critical information is easier (and cheaper) to obtain, and transparency is greater than it was in the market’s early days. How to Make Money with Junk Bonds gives you the tools to root out strong, forward-looking companies poised for growth and generate a level of profitability impossible to achieve in other markets.