Sector-wise, the recovery in real estate since the end of last year continues, albeit at a slower pace. We anticipate this sector could yield more fallen angels. Although interest rates have peaked and valuations have stabilised, elevated refinancing costs could weaken interest cover, a key credit metric.
Weakness is also emerging within consumer-cyclical sectors, particularly retail and automotive. Retail already has several new fallen angels this year, while the automotive sector faces profit warnings linked to challenges in China and subdued demand for electric vehicles. Despite negative rating actions, no new fallen angels have emerged in the automotive sector yet.
In summary, while the fixed-income market faces some challenges and volatility, the ongoing interest-rate environment and current economic conditions present numerous opportunities, particularly within higher quality high-yield bonds such as fallen angels.