Investors park their cash in convertibles

Pension funds that are still nervous of equities are discovering an appetite for debt that converts to equity, but will find the bonds have an Achilles’ heel

Six months ago, a successful bond issue by an unrated Spanish company would have been unthinkable. However, last month the order book for Spanish technology company Abengoa’s €250m convertible bond was so oversubscribed that the company increased the size of the deal to €400m.

It was the latest sign that Europe's convertible bond market is heating up, with unrated issuers attracting yield-hungry investors with bonds that can convert to equity at maturity.

WSJ Logo
Pro Bono or Pro Nono? Law Firms Split on Fulfilling Deals With TrumpExternal link

Pro Bono or Pro Nono? Law Firms Split on Fulfilling Deals With Trump