March 24, 2026 | Late last week Federal regulators unveiled long-awaited proposals to revise capital requirements for U.S. banks . . .
March 20, 2026 | The 2026 outlook for hybrid credit overall is sanguine, which means comfortably unremarkable. US Treasury yields have risen across the curve by roughly 25bps this month due to the conflict. Hybrid credit spreads have widened by 5-8 bps, with yields overall about 30-35 bps higher . . .
March 2, 2026 | Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have become a clear market focus, driven by volatility in sectors considered vulnerable to disruption – with software especially affected . . .
January 23, 2026 | Driven by a history of consolidation, Canada has created a stable and robust banking system with a supportive regulatory framework . . .
November 7, 2025 | Insurance investment in private assets has long been a core strength, but the rapid shift toward higher yielding leveraged credit – often through privately rated structures – marks a new and largely U.S.-driven trend . . .
November 7, 2025 | Though not without some risk, Spectrum believes that bank consolidation and M&A are positives for credit offering diversity, market share gains and cost savings . . .
October 28, 2025 | Paris-based BNP Paribas S.A. recently lost a civil suit in New York City filed by three Sudanese refugees claiming damages stemming from BNP’s banking role involving Sudan under former leader Omar al-Bashir during the late 1990s and 2000s . . .
October 21, 2025 | Several instances of suspected fraud have occurred in short order, reviving worries about loan quality and the broader economy . . .
October 6, 2025 | Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) announced early this morning that it plans to acquire Comerica Inc. (CMA) in an all-common-stock deal . . .
September 4, 2025 | France is facing a fiscal crisis with deficits exceeding 5.5% of GDP and debt rising above 110% of GDP. Borrowing costs are climbing, and recession fears are growing . . .
August 4, 2025 | “The aim of the EU-wide stress test is to assess the resilience of EU banks to a common set of adverse economic developments in order to identify potential risks, inform supervisory decisions and increase market discipline,” said the EBA . . .
August 1, 2025 | According to media reports, Governor Newsom is working on a legislative proposal to recapitalize California’s wildfire fund, with an $18 billion infusion split evenly between utility shareholders and ratepayers . . .
July 28, 2025 | As tensions have calmed following the Israel-Iran conflict, the global oil markets resumed expectations for a supply-demand imbalance . . .
July 10, 2025 | Leading insurers remain adept risk managers, well-prepared to navigate natural disasters, emerging global risks and inflationary pressures across goods & services, medical costs and the US legal system . . .
July 10, 2025 | Europe plans to integrate sustainability into a more business-as-usual approach, shifting its focus to competitiveness and reduced reporting burdens . . .
June 30, 2025 | Spectrum believes these results demonstrate the robust creditworthiness of large US banks, some of which are regional banks . . .
June 10, 2025 | Ultra long-term 30-year+ Japanese Government Bond (JGB) yields have quickly risen to multi-decade highs resulting in large unrealized bond losses on Japanese insurers’ investment portfolios . . .
May 1, 2025 | Spain suffered the most severe blackout in recent European history. In the span of five minutes the nation lost 15GW of electricity generation (equivalent to 60% of national demand), which caused widespread disruption to transport networks, homes and businesses across Spain, Portugal and parts of France . . .
April 4, 2025 | U.S. Announces Sweeping U.S. Tariffs: President Donald Trump introduced a wide-reaching tariff regime under the initiative titled “Liberation Day” . . .
April 4, 2025 | Bank, Insurance and Utility Fundamentals Resilient to U.S. Tariffs: Spectrum continues to be cautious on credit choices, focusing on stronger and more resilient issuers . . .
February 6, 2025 | Canada’s banking system remains one of the strongest in the world, benefitting from an oligopoly structure led by the six major banks, many of which Spectrum owns . . .
January 13, 2025 | Wildfire damage has intensified in recent years, posing significant financial risks for electric utilities if it is proven that their equipment caused a fire . . .
January 13, 2025 | Spectrum does not believe likely changes to regulatory personnel, regulations or laws themselves will result in substantive shifts in regulatory protections . . .
January 13, 2025 | Major underwriters in California (CA) have reduced coverage in high-risk areas due to regulatory constraints on pricing. LA fire losses are expected to be distributed across FAIR, insurers, capital markets and liable parties. This should limit single-company exposure for major insurers in which we invest . . .
January 10, 2025 | Multiple wildfires in affluent parts of Los Angeles County have led to fatalities, forced evacuations of nearly 200,000 people and destroyed thousands of properties, with many more at risk . . .
