Since the start of the recession, the number of zombies with an interest coverage ratio of less than one has grown by 420%, according to Bloomberg. And their outright number has even exceeded the peak of the last two recessions. … READ MORE >
Financial services
CHART OF THE DAY: Markets prepare for favorable clean energy policies
Joe Biden’s clean energy plan has recently been a point of focus. And the prospect of a Biden victory in the presidential election has spurred a rise in stocks set to benefit from his proposed $2 trillion package. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Hedge funds are faring well, but there is a range
Hedge funds are faring well after years of lackluster results, but the returns have not been uniformly strong. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Plunging private equity deal flow in Canada
The economic distress from the coronavirus pandemic is hitting the Canadian private equity market hard. The number of deals reached in Canada this year through Oct. 6 fell to 194, which at that pace would represent a 60% decline from 2019. … READ MORE >
SBA announces simplified PPP loan forgiveness
Some businesses that accepted financing under the Paycheck Protection Program now have a streamlined path to receiving the promised forgiveness of those loans, under new guidelines released late Thursday. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Business development companies show continued risk
Business development companies are still lagging the market in a sign of persisting concern over the performance of loans to small and midsize businesses. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: A record year for SPACs
Special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) are continuing their blockbuster year, with dollars raised in 2020 already beating the total from the previous 10 years combined, according to data from Bloomberg. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: What story is the high-yield bond market telling us?
Changes in stock and high-yield bond valuation levels have diverged since the start of September, a shift after largely tracking each other since the beginning of 2020. … READ MORE >
SEC adopts amendments bringing clarity to accredited investors and family offices
The SEC has adopted all the amendments of the accredited investor definition. Family offices and family office clients that meet this standard will be able to invest in the private markets, including private equity, venture capital and hedge funds. … READ MORE >
Hedge funds will be tested as U.S. fundamentals remain frail
Middle market hedge fund managers are coping with a contradiction—as the world unravels due to Covid-19, the S&P is nearing an all-time high. While the markets respond favorably to progress on a vaccine, money managers are looking to a future with a high degree of uncertainty around a possible U.S. recovery amid weak fundamentals. … READ MORE >