Latest insights

Explore Candriam’s disciplined approach to credit investing. Learn how issuer research, ESG integration and risk visibility help navigate volatility and construct resilient fixed income portfolios.

In a world where investors are constantly looking for more income opportunities and stability, subordinated bonds issued by banks and insurance companies constitute an interesting alternative.

Emerging market debt has treated investors well lately. Hard-currency sovereigns have benefited from high coupon yields, tighter spreads and a few well-timed recoveries, while corporates have followed a similar script — with high yield doing much of the heavy lifting.

We are moving to a neutral stance on US duration this month after our tactical long. While the macro backdrop remains broadly resilient, the balance of risks across the curve has shifted sufficiently to warrant a recalibration of our positioning.

We maintain a neutral strategic stance on US duration and rely on tactical implementation. Growth momentum continues to look resilient rather than fragile, and the labour market is showing signs of stabilising at lower levels rather than accelerating deterioration. Survey data supports this view, and high-frequency growth tracking remains firm, reinforcing our assessment that recession risks are not the central case in the near term.

As it has over the past 2 years, credit remains an asset class of choice for global fixed income investors. The combination of enduringly sound fundamentals, powerful technical forces, and generous yields has rendered credit a rare anchor of stability in a world still wrestling with volatility and policy uncertainty.

We continue to view the labour market as the key determinant for US rates. If employment stabilises, we expect the long end of the curve – particularly maturities beyond ten years – to move higher.

Global credit markets have entered the final quarter of 2025 in remarkably good shape. Corporate fundamentals remain robust: earnings across sectors have generally surprised to the upside, leverage is low, and balance sheets are strong, in contrast to sovereign balance sheets, where leverage remains elevated.