Analyses
Loans take center stage as inflation threat grows for 2022
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2022 Outlook
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janvier 18, 2022
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janvier 18, 2022
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Loans take center stage as inflation threat grows for 2022 |
Boston – For the floating-rate loan asset class, 2021 has been a year of superlatives, with any number of metrics at or near record levels, like issuance volume, demand, absence of defaults, and total loans outstanding. For us, the most important message from this year’s buoyant market is that loans have been living up to the expectations of both investors and issuers.
In 2022, we expect much of the same positive dynamics to prevail, against a backdrop of generally positive credit conditions. While recent news of the Omicron variant highlights how the pandemic remains a major economic variable, we don’t believe it will overcome the sweeping economic tailwinds and ongoing policy support.
Inflation concerns are also likely to persist in 2022, which moves loans — and their floating-rate capability — onto center stage for investors seeking to hedge the possibility of rising rates.
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Ralph Hinckley
Portfolio Manager - Eaton Vance Management
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Andrew Sveen
Co-Director of Bank Loans Portfolio Manager - Eaton Vance Management
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