Corporate debt markets in Brazil (Ba2 stable), China (A1 stable), South Africa (Baa3 negative) and Thailand (Baa1 positive) are best-placed to achieve further growth in the coming years, Moody’s Investors Service said today in a report that analyzed trends in 35 emerging markets. Study of 35 EMs highlights the key factors for growth of domestic corporate bond markets
These four countries registered the biggest increase in the ratio of mutual funds and insurance investment portfolio assets to GDP between 2010 and 2016, improving their ability to withstand future financial shocks.
The level of industrialisation in an the economy tends to drive the development of capital markets and results in a need for more capital funding. Countries that are highly reliant on commodity exports often show less progress in industrialisation and are less likely to require as much access to corporate bond market for funding.
Brazil, China, Malaysia, South Africa and Thailand have the most developed domestic corporate bond market among emerging markets
The report highlighted the three key factors that help to foster the growth of domestic corporate bond markets: firstly, an increase in the assets under management of domestic mutual funds. Secondly, the growth of insurance companies’ investment portfolios; and lastly, a reliable regulatory regime.
In some cases, the level of the country’s public debt, the size of its domestic equity market and the amount of bank lending to companies also have implications for corporate bond market growth.