Global bond issuances reach unprecedented $260 billion at the start of 2026

Global Bond Market Sees Record-Breaking Start to the Year

The international bond market has kicked off the year with unprecedented activity, as a wide range of borrowers rush to take advantage of strong investor demand for riskier assets.

According to Bloomberg data, companies and governments across the United States, Europe, and Asia have collectively raised around $260 billion in various currencies since the beginning of the year—a new record for this period. The momentum continues, with a fresh wave of bond issuances from Asian borrowers expected to push this figure even higher.

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Many issuers who postponed their financing plans in December are now entering the market, aiming to secure capital before the upcoming earnings blackout. Investors remain enthusiastic, showing little concern over rising geopolitical tensions. Additionally, borrowers are eager to get ahead of a projected increase in bond sales linked to artificial intelligence initiatives.

“The year has started out with a bang,” commented Priya Misra, portfolio manager at JPMorgan Investment Management. “Demand is matching supply, and there are hardly any concessions for new issues.”

In the U.S. investment-grade bond market, 11 issuers priced new debt on Wednesday, pushing weekly issuance above $88 billion—making it the busiest week outside of the pandemic period, according to Bloomberg News.

This week’s notable deals include Broadcom Inc., which secured $4.5 billion through a multi-part offering, and Orange SA from France, which raised $6 billion in a five-part high-grade dollar deal. Both transactions highlight strong appetite for longer-term bonds, a trend that persisted throughout last year.

Underwriters anticipate a surge of new offerings from major U.S. banks next week, following their earnings announcements, which will allow them to issue fresh debt.

The U.S. high-yield bond market is also experiencing its most active week in a month, with over $6 billion in new deals since Monday.

January is traditionally a busy month for global bond issuance, as companies seek early funding and investors deploy new capital. Strong corporate earnings, resilient consumer spending, and attractive yields on high-grade bonds—especially for those rebalancing portfolios—are all contributing to heightened demand, Misra added.

Europe’s bond market is also off to a robust start. The region saw a record day for new bond sales on Wednesday, with more than €57 billion (about $66.5 billion) raised by corporations, financial institutions, and governments, according to Bloomberg data.

Further Insights on the Bond Boom

Issuers across the spectrum are taking advantage of favorable market sentiment, launching multi-part bond offerings with various maturities to get ahead of their annual funding needs while risk premiums remain low by historical standards.

The pace of new deals is expected to continue in Europe, with upcoming offerings from Italy and Portugal on the horizon.

Despite the flood of new debt, corporate bond spreads—the extra yield over U.S. Treasuries—remain tight, reflecting ongoing strong demand for credit.

Fabianna Del Canto, co-head of EMEA capital markets at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc., noted, “With the possibility of spreads widening from current levels, issuers are moving quickly to lock in favorable funding conditions, taking advantage of robust investor demand at the start of the year.”

In the Asia-Pacific region, borrowers have raised over $22 billion this week alone, marking one of the most active starts to any year. Several issuers, including Korea Housing Finance Corp., are expected to price new notes soon.

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