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The article reports on an attempt by the Italian government to help small businesses access capital markets in order to raise capital without seeking a bank loan. Topics include how an economic recession in Italy has depleted the availability of bank loans, the importance of small and medium businesses to the Italian economy, and the Italian Industry Ministry's estimates regarding the growth of the corporate bond market in 2013-2014.

The article reports that insurer American International Group (AIG) might seek to raise cash by selling bonds before the end of 2010. AIG has previously stated that proceeds from securities sales would go towards paying down loans from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. A successful bond sale would indicate AIG once again has access to capital markets.

Among the midsize, family-owned companies that power the German economy, it has long been an article of faith: credit comes from the friendly local banker, not from cold and distant capital markets. So Peter H. Leibold was breaking from the norm last year when he decided to finance the expansion of his company, which makes wood pellets for heating and energy generation, by selling corporate bonds. The company, German Pellets, raised more than 80 million euros ($102 million). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty-one months ago, as 2009 began, the financial world was in a shambles. Virtually every market associated with the uninsured, ''shadow'' banking system had closed down. There were jokes about what specialists in securitization asked in their new jobs. (Would you like fries with that, sir?) Now, almost every securitization market has reopened. Some are thriving. Even markets that involve lending to borrowers with poor credit, like leveraged loans and junk bonds, have recovered to a significant extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author looks at the increase in European debt underwriting in the first half of 2009. He asserts that such an achievement is a result of a move to shift from bank lending to public capital markets. He states that the issuance of corporate bonds is anticipated to slow. He mentions several banks included in the global league table, such as J.P. Morgan Chase, Citigroup and Barclays.

The article reports on the implication of conflicting information in the corporate-bond market for several bondholders. Contradicting signs in the market include rising risk appetite and credit risk, and a decline in the market's creditworthiness while demand is outstripping supply for new deals. However, it is believed that some of this contradictions can be reconciled through companies' cost cutting efforts to fit their balance sheets.

This article reports on the bond offering launched by UAL Corp., the parent company of United Airlines. UAL had priced on June 29, 2009 a $175 million new, three-year debt that is collateralized by spare parts. The bond offering carries a coupon of 12.75% and sold at about 10% discount to par. The bond offering also has a yield maturity of 17%. In contrast, US Airways Group has issued $60 million of new stock only to see its capitalization actually decline.

The article reports on the $3.75 billion corporate bonds raised by DuPont Co., Union Pacific Corp., Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. and Honeywell International Inc. in the investment-grade market. On the other news, Swiss pharmaceutical firm Roche Holding AG was planning to raise a four-part bond offering via Roche Holdings Inc.

This article reports that corporate bond issuers have tapped the dept capital markets on an unprecedented scale in January 2009. According to Dealogic's figures, the highest on record came from U.S. dollar-denominated investment-grade issuance. The total U.S.-dollar-denominated issuance in January was $75.84 billion. Particular focus is given to the $3.5 billion five-year note launched by Cellco Partnership/Verizon Wireless Capital, along with the total issuance in the European debt markets.