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Fallen Angels Get Fed’s Helping Hand. Is That Enough?
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Fallen Angels Get Fed’s Helping Hand. Is That Enough?

Some bonds may be beyond hope, and once the central bank’s backstop ends, there goes the artificial price support.



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In its response to the economic turmoil caused by COVID-19, the US Federal Reserve has once again come to the rescue of financial markets. But this time, unlike in past crises, the Fed has added support for high-risk corporate debt. In this informative commentary written before the extension to year-end 2020 of the Fed’s program, financial journalist Larry Light surveys the Fed’s plan to buoy high-yield securities and its potential to aid market recovery. Investors and executives will appreciate his valuable insights in this astute report.

Summary

The US Federal Reserve is aiding the high-yield corporate debt market to mitigate the financial and economic consequences of COVID-19.

The coronavirus pandemic has devastated industries such as retail, leisure and entertainment, and the scourge has afflicted even prominent companies like Royal Caribbean Cruises and Macy’s. In early April 2020, for the first time in history, Fed officials provided $750 billion to prop up the corporate debt market. The money will purchase the debt securities of “fallen angels,” firms whose rating status has&#...

About the Author

Larry Light is a financial journalist at CIO Magazine.