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As demand for non-US assets increases, foreign issuers are tapping the Canadian bond market.
According to LSEG, analysts, and investors, global companies such as Citigroup and McDonald's flocked to Canada's Bond Market this year due to strong investor demand and lower borrowing costs. This trend reflects an increasing willingness of investors and issuers to move away from the US dollar, as uncertainty caused by President Trump's policies on trade continues. According to LSEG, the amount of "Maple Bonds" issued by foreign borrowers on the Canadian market reached 16.32 billion dollars as of September 25. This is more than the $13 billion that was raised for the entire year 2024. It also surpasses the $16.28 million raised in 2023. This jump is partially due to lower borrowing costs, according to Andrew Parker, cohead of McCarthy Tetrault's National Capital Markets Practice. This summer, there was only one deal after another. "Rates in Canada were more attractive", said Parker, who was involved with NextEra Energy Capital Holdings C$2 billion (1,44 billion dollars) Maple bond. It is one of the biggest bonds this year. The Federal Reserve began cutting U.S. rates again only this month. However, the Bank of Canada's policy has been more aggressive. Rob Brown, RBC Capital Markets' managing director and cohead of Canadian Debt Capital Markets said that the inclusion of Maple Bonds in the FTSE Russell Index, which was announced on January 1, has also contributed to investor demand. This month, it was reported that U.S. firms are also eager to borrow in euro, with bond sales reaching a record of $100 billion this year. Mike Goosay is the chief investment officer at Principal Asset Management and the global head of fixed-income. He said that companies are likely responding to the growing demand from investors for non-dollar assets, as the impact of Trump’s sweeping tariffs remains uncertain. Goosay stated that this could cause investors to want products from other markets. Citi, New York Life, and Pacific Life are also among Canada's largest bond issuers this year. Requests for comments from the companies were not answered. RISK OF US SPREADS WIDENING Demand from investors for U.S. corporate bonds has been strong in recent weeks, driving spreads on high grade bonds - the premium that companies pay over U.S. Treasuries - to near-all-time-tight levels. The market is expected to be boosted by the Fed's rate cut this month. Investors said that the market could be underestimating long-term risks. Investors said that the market may be underestimating potential long-term risks, including an expected increase in the U.S. trade deficit, which would boost long-term rates, as well as volatility caused by Trump’s whipsawing policies and the politicization of such institutions as the Fed and Bureau of Labor Statistics. Corporate The debt issue dried up Spreads have widened dramatically in the wake of Trump's announcement of April 2, 2019 Tariffs were high on imports from the United States, but have since fallen. Zachary Griffiths is the head of investment-grade credit strategy at CreditSights. He said that the wide-based tariffs as well as the politicization of the core U.S. economic and financial institutions, such the Fed and BLS, are causing anxiety among foreign investors who consider how much exposure they should have to USD assets.
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Japan offshore wind companies want to be included in the government's fixed revenue scheme
Developers of Japanese offshore wind projects are looking to join a program that would guarantee a fixed income for 20 years. This comes after Mitsubishi-led group abandoned three projects because costs were so high. The long-term decarbonised auction (LTDA), Japan's scheme for bidding on nuclear, gas, and hydropower projects as well as battery storage and solar projects is currently open to operators, but offshore wind projects are not. Yuichi Furukawa is the director of wind energy policy at Japan's Industry Ministry. He said that offshore wind farm operators had made similar requests, but that he could not confirm whether these requests would be considered. A source in the offshore wind industry who declined to identify themselves said that participation in LTDA would be "a life vest" for the industry. There has been much concern about the fates of other projects since the Mitsubishi-led consortium in August pulled out of projects won at the first large-scale auctions held by the government in 2021. The projects will be launched between 2028 to 2030, with a combined power of almost 3 gigawatts. These groups include Japanese firms JERA and Mitsui, as well as foreign companies such as Germany's RWE and Spain's Iberdrola. In the coming months, the four groups who won the second state auction for offshore wind projects will have to pay the final bond to the Government, which confirms that they are moving forward with the project. The government has pledged to examine the reasons behind Mitsubishi's decisions and to adjust regulations in order to ensure that the sector develops. Before Mitsubishi left, the government sought to relax rules for the industry. These changes include allowing suppliers to change, including those for turbines. They also allow offshore wind farms the ability to operate past the original 30 year time frame. Furukawa stated that the ministry of industry aims to create a framework for companies to make future operational decisions by the end this year. By 2040, the government wants to install 45 GW offshore wind power, as this will reduce its dependence on coal and gas imports for electricity generation, and also help to lower carbon emissions. Hui Min Foong is a senior analyst with Westwood Global Energy Group. She said that if the government reassesses what went wrong and learns from other countries, the pipeline of long-term projects can remain strong. This is particularly true looking 10 to 15 year ahead, when Japan is well-positioned to leverage its enormous floating wind potential. Recent policy momentum has reinforced this. (Reporting and editing by Edwina G Gibbs; Additional reporting by Yuka obayashi)
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Sweden sends radars and anti-drone systems to Denmark in support of summit security
Sweden will provide military capabilities to counter drones for Denmark in conjunction with the Copenhagen summit this week. Drone sightings forced Denmark last week to close several airports. Denmark will host EU leaders in Copenhagen on Wednesday. Then, on Thursday, the 47-member European Political Community will meet. It has already increased security following the drone incursions. Kristersson stated in a social media post that Sweden would send Counter UAS Systems and that, separately, his country had shipped "a handful of" radar systems to Denmark on Sunday. On Sunday, Denmark ordered A ban on drone flights by civilians After drones were seen at several military installations overnight. Reporting by Louise Breusch Rasmussen and editing by Terje Solsvik
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Japan protests China’s ocean research in exclusive Economic Zone
Yoshimasa Hayashi, the chief cabinet secretary of Japan, said that after spotting a Chinese ship in the southwest region of the country, Japan had lodged a complaint with China asking it to cease ocean research in Japan's Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ). Hayashi reported that the Japanese Coast Guard discovered the Chinese vessel "Xiang Yang Hong 22," extending a metal-like object in the ocean within the Japanese EEZ, about 379 km (235 miles), west of Amami Oshima island early Sunday morning. Hayashi, the Japanese government's top spokesperson, said that the Chinese government was not allowed to conduct marine scientific research without Japan consent. He said that the Chinese vessel left the water and headed west about three hours after he spoke. Tokyo and Beijing face a territorial dispute over a group of Japanese-administered islands in the East China Sea, called the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China. (Reporting and editing by Jacqueline Wong; Kantaro Kommiya)
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New York Times Business News - September 29,
These are the most popular stories from the New York Times' business pages. These stories have not been verified and we cannot vouch for the accuracy of these reports. As officials rushed to fix a border inspection kiosk outage, passengers arriving at major Canadian airports on Sunday reported being stuck on planes and in terminals crowded with people waiting for immigration. The U.S. president Donald Trump will hold a meeting with four of the top leaders in Congress at the White House, on Monday. This is the day before the deadline for averting a shutdown. On Sunday, Mayor Eric Adams announced that he was abandoning his stumbling campaign for a new term. This decision radically changed the race for the leadership of the largest city in the United States just five weeks prior to Election Day. Police said that a stowaway found dead inside the wheel wells of an American Airlines flight at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, North Carolina after its arrival from Europe. (Compiled Bengaluru Newsroom)
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Lufthansa cuts 4,000 jobs and targets higher profitability
The German airline group announced on Monday that it would cut 4,000 administrative positions by 2030, and also set higher profit targets. It is seeking to increase efficiency through automation and digitalisation. Lufthansa announced its first capital markets day for six years that it now expects to achieve an adjusted EBIT of 8-10% by 2028. This is up from the previous goal of only 8%. It also aims at adjusted free cash flows of over 2.5 billion euros ($2.9billion) per year. Last week, it was reported that Lufthansa intended to reduce about 20% of non-operational employees. The company stated that the reductions would be made in Germany, in consultation with its social partners. The group plans to increase its fleet by 230 aircraft and improve the returns of its airlines through a deeper level of cooperation. $1 = 0.8527 Euros (Reporting and editing by Kirsti Knolle, David Goodman and Ozan Ergenay in Gdansk)
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Wall Street Journal, September 29,
These are the most popular stories from the Wall Street Journal. These stories have not been verified and we cannot vouch for the accuracy of these stories. Danish biotechnology firm Genmab has agreed to purchase cancer treatment developer Merus, listed on Nasdaq, for approximately $8 billion in cash. U.S. president Trump and congressional leaders will hold last-minute discussions just as Republicans are preparing for a shutdown of the government by mid-week, which could include a new round of firings. Hegseth, the Defense Secretary, will address senior officers and enlisted members of the military at a gathering that will be held on Tuesday. Due to the introduction of artificial intelligence, and automation, Deutsche Lufthansa will cut 4,000 administrative positions by 2030. This will be mainly in Germany. Russia launched over 600 drones, and dozens missiles, at Ukraine Saturday night and early Sunday morning. This was one of the biggest aerial attacks in the war while the United Nations General Assembly is still in session.
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Two dead, 17 missing after Typhoon Bualoi strikes Vietnam
After Typhoon Bualoi struck Vietnam on Monday, two people were killed and 17 more missing. Houses were damaged and power lines knocked down as the storm brought huge swells and flooding rains before losing strength as it moved towards Laos. Bualoi moved along the northern central coast of the country before it made landfall on Monday morning, causing eight-metre waves, according to the National Weather Agency. The government's disaster agency reported that one person was killed after being trapped in floodwater in Hue, while another died from a falling branch in Thanh Hoa Province. According to the agency, 17 fishermen are missing after two fishing boats were hit by huge waves off Quang tri province. Another fishing boat also lost contact with the other during the storm. Nguyen Thuan Vinh, 45, said in Nghe An Province as he cleaned up the debris: "I have seen many storms and this one is by far the strongest." Vinh's neighbors said that they were up all night protecting their homes even though the power went out in their apartment building. Ho Van Quynh, a resident of Ho Van Quynh said: "I was afraid that the strong winds would pull the door off." The weather agency reported that by 11:00 a.m. (0400 GMT), typhoons were moving across Nghe An Province into Laos. Maximum wind speeds had weakened to 74 km/h, from 117 km/h at the time of landfall. Bualoi, according to a disaster management report, has damaged 245 homes, submerged nearly 1,400 acres of rice and other crops and cut off several areas. The report does not mention any major damages to industrial property, although there are several large factories near or in Bualoi’s path including those owned and operated by Foxconn (or Luxshare), Formosa Plastics, Vinfast, Formosa Plastics, etc. The government evacuated over 28,500 people before the typhoon hit, and hundreds of flights were delayed or cancelled as four airports closed in central provinces. Authorities have warned that heavy rains could cause severe flooding and landslides. According to the weather agency, rain was expected to reach 500 millimetres in some parts of the country from Sunday night to Tuesday. Vietnam's long coastline, which faces the South China Sea and is often affected by typhoons, makes it prone to these storms. Last week, Bualoi caused at least 10 deaths in the Philippines. Reporting by Khanh Vu from Hanoi, and Thinh Nguyen from Nghe An. Editing by John Mair.
KLM loses Delta Air France and Air France ground service customers
Air France KLM, the Dutch branch of Air France KLM, announced on Monday that Air France and Delta will no longer use its ground services in Amsterdam Schiphol Airport following the weeks-long strikes of its ground crew.
KLM said that the airlines told them they were looking for a new ground handling partner in Schiphol - one of Europe's most busy airports.
KLM issued a statement saying that the decision had immediate operational implications, especially for its ground services division.
The financial and employment implications of this decision is currently being assessed.
Delta and Air France have not responded to comments. KLM Amsterdam's ground crew has been striking for several weeks, demanding higher wages and improved working conditions. This led to hundreds of cancellations.
Anoesjka Aspeslagh, KLM's spokesperson said: "This played a major role in Delta and Air France's decision."
They have suffered damages of millions of Euros and were forced to disappoint many of their clients.
The CNV, a labour union, said that the decision of KLM's partners had nothing to do with the strike. It would not affect the resolve of the ground crew.
Souleiman Amallah, the union's spokesman for CNV, said that the negotiations between the airlines concerned had just begun.
KLM struck a deal earlier this month with a number of unions. However, not with two major ones who have continued to strike and announced a larger and newer strike on Wednesday.
The court ruled on Monday that the strike could only take place if the unions guarantee the flights of KLM’s international partners will not be affected.
KLM Ground Services handles 17 Delta daily incoming flights and 12 Air France flights, for a total 380 flights per day.
(source: Reuters)