Principal Sees High-Grade Downgrade Risk as Issuance Ramps Up

Blue-chip companies, including hyperscalers, may be jeopardizing their credit ratings by piling on debt, according to Principal Asset Management. “We have seen some downgrades, and I would expect that that would continue as borrowing ramps up,” Mike Goosay, the $600 billion manager’s global head of fixed income, tells Bloomberg News’ James Crombie and Bloomberg Intelligence’s Julie Hung on the latest Credit Edge podcast. “I don’t think that’ll have a behavioral effect on the way that investors look at the market, nor does it — to date, anyway — change the borrowing costs of those corporates,” he adds. They also discuss the artificial-intelligence funding frenzy, why junk bonds are attractive despite macroeconomic risks and how global government-bond volatility affects demand for credit.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.