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The article reports on the state of the business sector, including the corporate bond market, in the U.S. and Europe amidst the COVID-19 pandemic as of July 2020. Topics discussed include operational and market performance of corporations including British retail firm Marks & Spencer and U.S.-based food company Kraft Heinz, impact of the COVID-19 lockdown measures on the industrial sector, and the state of speculative-grade bonds trading.

The article presents business-related news briefs on topics including the Saudi Aramco oil company's first bond sale on international markets which raised 12 billion dollars. America's trade dispute with the European Union is addressed, along with aerospace company Boeing Co.'s stock price decline in the wake of two fatal crashes involving the firm's 737 aircraft. U.S. President Donald Trump's push for interest rate cuts is also examined.

The article describes the condition of the corporate bond market in the U.S. in 2018. It indicates the consequences of investing in corporate bonds in the aging business cycle. Investors are warned about the surge in so-called leveraged loans. Also discussed is the impact of an interest rate increase and corporate leverage on the corporate bond market.

The article discusses the BBB credit rating of most corporate bond issuers in the U.S. Topics explored include the link between this rating and the financial management strategies of concerned firms, the lack of effect of a company's capital structure on its valuation, and the economic factors that need to be considered before purchasing corporate bonds.

The article focuses on difficulties with creating of American-style capital markets and entrepreneurship in Europe. It talks about startup companies in several European Union cities and money raised by European venture-capital funds and compares it to their American counterparts. It mentions that the American corporate-bond market is three times larger than Europe's and comments that European companies rely heavily on banks which have curbed lending since the global financial crisis.

The article focuses on the stock market and corporate bond market in U.S. It discusses the stock trading by using electronic platforms and impact of financial crisis on capital regulations in U.S. It also discusses the impact of automation of equity markets on the earnings of brokers and impact of technological innovations in equity market on investors and issuers.

The article discusses developments in the pensions industry, particularly in the U.S., as of late July 2016. Also cited are the more aggressive approach to risk of public funds than private funds in the country due to a regulatory incentive, the use by private-sector pension funds to use corporate-bond yields to discount future liabilities, and the accounting rules in the U.S. that established perverse incentives for public pension funds.

The article focuses on the likelihood the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) will increase interest rates (IR) in 2016. It states in December 2015 the Fed increased IR from between 0.25 percent (%) and 0.5%, the first increase since 2008. It mentions that concerns over economic growth in China, stock market losses, and spreads on corporate bonds caused the Fed to hold off on an expected rate increase in January and March of 2015. It suggests the economy is doing well enough to result in a rate increase.

The article focuses on the stock market in the U.S. from 2014-2015. It discusses an increase in interest rates imposed by the U.S. Federal Reserve Board on December 14, 2015, the U.S. monetary policy, and an encouragement to investors to acquire risky assets such as corporate bonds and equities. The article also discusses the sharp increase in bond yields and its effect in the U.S. economic activity.

The article focuses on the southeast Asian bond market in 2015 and factors which could impact bond performance. It states from 2005-2014 the annual bond issuance for southeastern Asian nations grew from 38 billion to 109 billion dollars while corporate bond issuance grew from 20 billion to 78 billion dollars. It mentions factors behind the Asian financial crisis of 1997-1998 which was caused by a strengthening U.S. dollar and speculates on the impact increased U.S. interest rates will have.