"These two series will better enable us to assess risks and returns in the U.S. corporate bond market and to provide in-depth commentary on credit trends," said Diane Vazza, head of Standard & Poor's Global Fixed Income Research.
"With the new spread series, we aim to measure the credit spreads for different sections of the market by forming portfolios of bonds based on ratings and sectors," said Ms. Vazza.
In creating the research series, it is important to our methodology that the spread for a particular portfolio utilizes secondary market pricing and is comparable across time.
"In addition, unlike a managed index that uses a set number of issues each period and tracks just these issues during the period, our series uses all issues that meet our criteria," said Ms. Vazza. "The benefit of this composite methodology is that we are able to capture as much information from the market as possible."
The report is available to subscribers of RatingsDirect on the Global Credit Portal at www.globalcreditportal.com. If you are not a RatingsDirect subscriber, you may purchase a copy of the report by calling (1) 212-438-7280 or sending an e-mail to [email protected]. Ratings information can also be found on Standard & Poor's public Web site by using the Ratings search box located in the left column at www.standardandpoors.com. Members of the media may request a copy of this report by contacting the media representative provided.
Media Contact:
Mimi Barker, New York (1) 212-438-5054, [email protected]
Analyst Contacts:
Diane Vazza, New York (1) 212-438-2760