Default rate expected to rise further in 2016: Moody's

Singapore

THE global speculative-grade default rate has risen in 2015 and will continue on this track as volatility in the oil- and-gas and metals-and-mining sectors - along with slowing growth in China - stresses the credit metrics of speculative-grade issuers, says Moody's Investors Service.

In its December default report, the agency said its credit transition model predicts that the global speculative-grade default rate will rise to 3.9 per cent at end-2016 - which, if realised, will still remain below the historical yearly average of 4.2 per cent since 1983.