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23.08.2026
Weekly bond digest: August 17 – August 23, 2026
Weekly bond digest: August 17 – August 23, 2026
144

Yield Curves

Last week was really a story about the long end of the government bond market, and it did not start well. Thirty-year yields in Japan, the United States and the UK pushed up towards their highest levels in decades, and that pull was felt everywhere, Germany included. Three things were behind it: government debt keeps growing in most large economies, companies are selling a lot of very long-dated bonds to fund artificial-intelligence projects, and energy prices are rising again. Europe then had a problem of its own. The 60-day negotiating window between the US and Iran expired without a deal, and European natural gas jumped to a post-conflict high of about €208 per megawatt hour. Higher energy costs feed into inflation, and higher inflation pushes yields up. Thin August trading made every move larger than it would normally be. Yields did come back down later in the week once the US Treasury stepped in — more on that below — but German yields still finished higher right across the curve, with the biggest rise in the five- to ten-year part. Friday's business surveys pointed the same way, with the euro-area composite index edging up to 52.1 and German manufacturing the bright spot.

EUR Germany Sovereign Curve

The US is where the week turned. Long-dated Treasury yields had been climbing for weeks, partly because investors want more compensation for locking money up for 20 or 30 years, and partly because rising Japanese long-term yields spill over into every other market. Then the Treasury made a surprise announcement: it will buy back at least $4 billion of long-dated bonds per operation, double the previous maximum of $2 billion. The timing was odd — just after the quarterly refunding and a day before a 20-year auction — and nothing in the market was broken enough to require it. Investors read it as a signal that officials are uncomfortable with how far long-term yields have climbed, and 20- and 30-year yields fell back. Over the week as a whole, short and medium maturities rose the most, while 20- and 30-year yields ended roughly where they started. Two things are worth keeping in mind. Almost all of this year's rise in yields comes from higher real yields, not from higher inflation expectations. And the buyback plan may not help for long: if the Treasury's borrowing becomes less predictable, investors could end up demanding more yield on long bonds, not less.

USD US Sovereign Curve

Gilts moved least of the three markets, but in the same direction. UK natural gas also hit a post-conflict high, around £208 per therm, which keeps inflation firmly in the picture. Long-dated gilt yields followed the global move higher and now sit around their highest levels since the financial crisis. The short end went the other way: traders see little chance of a Bank of England rate rise in September, so one- and two-year yields finished the week flat to slightly lower. The result was a slightly steeper curve — long maturities a couple of basis points higher, the front end unchanged.

GBP UK Sovereign Curve

Top gainers

Last week's biggest gainers were a mix of US corporate and higher-yielding bonds. Braskem Idesa led the list, and the reason is worth explaining. The Mexican petrochemicals producer filed for bankruptcy protection in the US last week, and the rating agencies duly marked it as in default — yet its bonds rose. This was a pre-agreed filing, made after creditors had already tabled restructuring proposals that include a cash injection into the business and collateral pledged against its assets. For holders of the secured 2032 bond, that points to a better recovery than the deeply discounted price had been assuming, which is why the bond went up rather than down. PayPal appeared twice, with its long-dated 2050 and 2052 bonds, and other risers included Discovery Communications, TVL Finance and Gray Television.

Name Cur Price change
1w(%)
Yield Risk Level
Braskem Idesa 6.99% Feb 2032 USD 6,64% 5,91% Very High
PayPal Hldg 3.25% Jun 2050 USD 3,78% 5,62% Low
Discovery Com 4.125% May 2029 USD 2,93% 6,70% High
TVL Finance 10.25% Apr 2028 GBP 2,74% 11,66% Very High
PayPal Hldg 5.05% Jun 2052 USD 2,13% 6,08% Low
Wurth Fin Intl 2.1% Nov 2026 CHF 1,97% -7,02% Low
West Allnce 3% Jun 2031 USD 1,69% 0,62% Medium
Fiserv 4.4% Jul 2049 USD 1,54% 6,27% Medium
Gray Television 4.75% Oct 2030 USD 1,53% 9,83% Very High

Top losers

The fallers were almost all long-dated bonds — exactly the part of the market that suffers when 20- and 30-year yields climb, because a small move in yield translates into a large move in price. Kohl’s appeared twice, with its 2045 and 2031 bonds, alongside Cogent Communications, a long-dated Goldman Sachs 2034 bond, BBVA's 2050 issue, Whirlpool and Kyndryl.

Name Cur Price change
1w(%)
Yield Risk Level
Kohls 5.55% Jul 2045 USD -4,65% 9,19% Very High
Cogent Cmmns Grp 6.5% Jul 2032 USD -3,97% 11,19% High
Goldman Sachs 4.75% Aug 2034 USD -3,87% 5,49% Low
Ukraine 4.5% Feb 2035 USD -3,45% 12,68% Very High
MPT Opt Partner 3.5% Mar 2031 USD -3,29% 15,44% Very High
Bbva Glo Secs 6.1% Aug 2050 USD -2,80% 6,74% Low
Kyndryl Holdings 4.1% Oct 2041 USD -2,63% 7,43% Medium
Whirlpool 5.15% Mar 2043 USD -2,55% 9,79% High
Kohls 5.125% May 2031 USD -2,54% 7,90% Very High
Workday 3.8% Apr 2032 USD -2,44% 5,23% Medium

Rating changes

Note: only long-term senior unsecured ratings were taken into account.

Upgrades outnumbered downgrades last week, in line with the steady improvement in credit ratings seen across investment-grade companies over the past couple of years. Among the better-known names, memory-chip maker SK hynix was raised to A- and Micron Technology moved up a notch, while Tapestry, the owner of Coach, and Singapore Telecommunications were also upgraded. Ireland's government rating was lifted to Aa2. On the downside, the standout was Cox Communications, cut into high-yield territory, while cosmetics group Coty was lowered to BB-. Braskem Idesa was moved to default after filing for a pre-agreed bankruptcy in the US.

Issuer Agency Change
AIR Baltic S&P CCC- → SD
Athletico S&P CC → D
AvalonBay Communities S&P A- → A
Axactor S&P B- → B
Balcan Innovations S&P B- → CCC+
Banka Kombetare Tregtare S&P BB- → BB
BRANICKS S&P SD → CCC-
Braskem Idesa Fitch RD → D
Caja Los Andes Fitch BBB- → BBB
California Resources S&P B+ → BB-
Corp Inmobiliaria Vesta S&P BBB- → BBB
Coty Fitch BB+ → BB-
Cox Communications Fitch BBB+ → BB+
ERP Operating S&P A- → A
Filtration Group S&P B → BBB+
Foundever S&P CCC → D
HSE Finance S&P CCC- → B-
HX Hold Fitch CCC- → C
Hyster-Yale S&P B → B-
IIFL Finance Fitch B+ → BB-
Leslie's Poolmart S&P CCC → CCC-
Liberty Communications of Puerto Rico Fitch CCC → CC
Light Fitch D → B-
Micron Technology S&P BBB → BBB+
Mitnick Corporate Purchaser Fitch B- → CCC+
NOVA Chemicals Fitch BB- → BB
PCF S&P CCC+ → SD
Pfleiderer S&P CCC+ → SD
Pretzel Parent S&P B → B-
Republic of Ireland Moody's Aa3 → Aa2
Singapore Telecommunications S&P A → A+
SK hynix S&P BBB+ → A-
Somnigroup International S&P BB → BB+
Spencer Spirit S&P B+ → BB-
SSH Holdings S&P B+ → BB-
Summit Midstream Fitch B- → B
Tapestry S&P BBB → BBB+
Toshiba S&P BB- → BB
Trident Energy S&P B- → B
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield Moody's Baa2 → Baa1
Vivmark Residential S&P A- → A
Wealthspire S&P B → B-
Webster Financial S&P BBB → BBB+
XPO S&P BB → BB+

New issues

New bond sales came back strongly after the summer lull, making it the busiest week since early July. In Europe alone, 19 investment-grade borrowers raised €11 billion in euros and £1.6 billion in sterling, while high-yield issuance was completely absent. Banks and financial firms led the way, with large deals from Mizuho — whose €1.5 billion two-part deal was the biggest euro trade of the week — along with Credit Agricole, Santander, ICICI Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Bank of New York Mellon.

Governments and agencies were just as active. Germany sold a 30-year bond into the middle of the long-end sell-off, and Finland, KfW, the European Investment Bank and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development each raised multi-billion amounts. Buyers were still there: European investment-grade funds took in fresh money over the week, though almost all of it went into short-dated strategies rather than long bonds.

Issuer Size Term Yield Risk Level
Agence France Locale EUR
0,50bn
8Y 4,1% Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
FR001401AN14
 
Ameren Illinois USD
0,40bn
10Y 5,5% Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
02361DBD1
 
Arkea Public Sector SCF EUR
0,50bn
8Y 3,7% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
FR001401AMG9
 
Asian Development Bank USD
2,0bn
10Y 4,7% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
US045167GT47
 
Athene Global Funding USD
0,50bn
3–5Y 5,1–5,5% Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
US04686E5N86…US04686E5P35
 
Avnet USD
0,55bn
5Y 5,7% Medium
ISIN (CUSIP)
053807BA0
 
Banco Santander USD
2,0bn
4–8Y 5,0–5,6% Medium
ISIN (CUSIP)
US05971KAZ21…US05971KBA60
 
Bank of New York Mellon USD
1,6bn
2–3Y 4,6%; FLOAT, +43bp Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
US06405LAL53
 
Bank of New Zealand EUR
1,0bn
5Y 3,4% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3476693778
 
Banque Federative Du Credit Mutuel EUR
0,75bn
11Y 4,5% Medium
ISIN (CUSIP)
FR001401AN55
 
Belfius Banque EUR
0,75bn
7Y 3,9% Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
BE6376796163
 
Blackstone Private Credit Fund USD
0,75bn
5Y 6,4% Medium
ISIN (CUSIP)
09261HCD7
 
Blue Owl Technology Finance USD
0,40bn
3Y 6,7% Medium
ISIN (CUSIP)
US095924AD81
 
BNG Bank USD
1,2bn
2Y 4,3% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3481696618
 
Boston Properties USD
0,70bn
10Y 6,1% Medium
ISIN (CUSIP)
10112RBP8
 
Bunge Finance USD
0,60bn
5Y 5,1% Medium
ISIN (CUSIP)
120568BU3
 
Continental EUR
0,75bn
4Y 3,7% Medium
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3478305777
 
Corebridge Financial USD
0,75bn
10Y 5,9% Medium
ISIN (CUSIP)
US21871XAV10
 
CPPIB Capital USD
2,0bn
3Y 4,4% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
US22411WBJ45
 
Credit Agricole EUR
1,0bn
6Y 3,9% Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
FR001401AKZ3
 
Credit Agricole Home Loan SFH EUR
2,5bn
3–10Y 3,2–3,8%; FLOAT, +24bp Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
FR001401AM72…FR001401AM80
 
Ctp EUR
0,50bn
3Y 3,7% Medium
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3480651812
 
DBS Bank EUR
2,0bn
4Y 3,2% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3479188222
 
Dekabank Deutsche Girozentrale EUR
0,25bn
4Y 3,2% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3479243183
 
Deutsche Telekom GBP
0,40bn
20Y 6,5% Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3481540105
 
Development Bank of Japan USD
1,0bn
3Y 4,5% Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3471464399
 
European Investment Bank USD
4,0bn
5Y 4,4% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
US298785KU94
 
Evergy USD
0,60bn
30Y 6,4% Medium
ISIN (CUSIP)
US30034WAG15
 
Republic of Finland EUR
4,0bn
7Y 3,3% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
FI4000609516
 
Germany EUR
4,0bn
30Y 3,8% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
DE000BU2D012
 
Gray Media USD
0,75bn
8Y 7,5% Very High
ISIN (CUSIP)
USU4248MAC65
 
ICICI Bank USD
0,75bn
5Y 5,4% Medium
ISIN (CUSIP)
USY38604AB36
 
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development USD
4,0bn
7Y 4,6% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
US459058MC43
 
Interstate Power And Light USD
0,50bn
5Y 5,1% Medium
ISIN (CUSIP)
461070AZ7
 
Jyske Realkredit EUR
0,50bn
5Y 3,3% Very High
ISIN (CUSIP)
DK0009420655
 
KB Securities USD
0,30bn
3Y 5,1% Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3464389678
 
KfW EUR
5,0bn
3Y 3,0% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3480769069
 
Korea SMEs and Startups Agency USD
0,40bn
4Y 4,7% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
HK0001325593
 
Kotak Mahindra Bank USD
0,65bn
5Y 5,5% Very High
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3480765588
 
Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank EUR
1,2bn
7Y 3,3% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3481545088
 
LHV Group EUR
0,20bn
4Y 4,6% Medium
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3448593023
 
Lloyds Bank USD
1,5bn
3Y 4,5% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3479603733
 
Luso International Banking USD
0,10bn
PERP 6,6% Very High
ISIN (CUSIP)
MO0000000634
 
Macquarie Group GBP
0,50bn
4Y 5,3% Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3482734186
 
Metropolitan Life Global Funding I GBP
0,40bn
6Y 5,4% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3478195491
 
Mitsui USD
0,75bn
5Y 4,9% Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3459991751
 
Mizuho Financial Group EUR
1,5bn
6–12Y 3,9–4,3% Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3470748883…XS3470748966
 
National Australia Bank USD
1,8bn
5Y 4,6% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
USQ6535DCT92
 
NatWest Markets USD
0,50bn
5Y FLOAT, +95bp Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3478143004
 
Nederlandse Waterschapsbank GBP
0,25bn
5Y 4,7% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3479661855
 
Nordea Bank EUR
0,75bn
7Y 3,7% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3479233200
 
North Rhine-Westphalia EUR
1,5bn
7Y 3,3% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
DE000NRW0QR6
 
Northern Oil and Gas USD
0,50bn
8Y 7,5% Very High
ISIN (CUSIP)
US665531AM10
 
Northwestern Mutual Global Funding GBP
0,30bn
5Y 5,3% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3480654675
 
Ocean Yield USD
0,10bn
PERP FLOAT, +350bp Very High
ISIN (CUSIP)
NO0013759829
 
Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp GBP
1,0bn
3Y FLOAT, +48bp Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3481584657
 
Raiffeisen Bank EUR
0,60bn
6Y 4,6% Medium
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3478186151
 
Raiffeisen Bank International EUR
0,75bn
10Y 4,5% Medium
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3480675597
 
Raiffeisen Landesbank Steiermark EUR
0,50bn
5Y 3,3% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
AT0000A3WQC0
 
Sika Capital EUR
1,0bn
30Y 4,5–5,0% Very High
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3476053445…XS3476053791
 
Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken EUR
1,5bn
3Y 3,2%; FLOAT, +18bp Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3482637496
 
Southern California Gas USD
0,50bn
10Y 5,6% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
US842434DF68
 
SpareBank 1 Boligkreditt EUR
1,0bn
7Y 3,4% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3482718734
 
SpareBank 1 Sor-Norge EUR
0,50bn
5Y 3,6% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3480525867
 
Swisscom Finance EUR
0,50bn
PERP 4,2% Medium
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3460850616
 
Tatra Banka EUR
0,60bn
3Y 3,3% Very Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
SK4000030193
 
Thales EUR
1,0bn
4–8Y 3,5–3,8% Very High
ISIN (CUSIP)
FR001401AM07…FR001401AM15
 
Tractor Supply USD
0,50bn
5Y 5,2% Medium
ISIN (CUSIP)
892356AC0
 
Volvo Treasury EUR
0,50bn
3Y 3,4% Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
XS3479662234
 
Vylor USD
1,1bn
5–10Y 5,2–5,7% Medium
ISIN (CUSIP)
USU92928AB30…USU92928AC13
 
Wealthspire USD
0,30bn
8Y 9,0% Very High
ISIN (CUSIP)
USU9430XAA38
 
Wisconsin Electric Power USD
0,30bn
10Y 5,4% Low
ISIN (CUSIP)
976656CY2
 
This article does not constitute investment advice or personal recommendation. Investments in securities and other financial instruments always involve the risk of loss of your capital. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Bondfish does not recommend using the data and information provided as the only basis for making any investment decision. You should not make any investment decisions without first conducting your own research and considering your own financial situation.