In the latest episode of "Credit Matters," guest Dan Botoff, Global Head of DCM Syndicate at RBC Capital Markets, joins Shankar Ramakrishnan (Head of U.S. Credit & Market Engagement, Informa Global Markets) and Bruce Clark (Head of Rates Market Coverage, Informa Global Markets) to discuss hybrid bonds and preferred securities—capital instruments blending debt and equity that can provide issuers equity credit, regulatory benefits, tax advantages, and non-dilutive balance-sheet support while offering investors higher yield.

They review where hybrids sit in the capital structure, who uses them (banks, utilities, industrials, non-bank financials), and current issuance trends (US just under $30B YTD vs mid-$80B last year) with 30–40% growth in major markets over recent years.

The conversation covers how rate cycles affect issuance, investor base expansion, lessons from stress events like Credit Suisse AT1s, liquidity and private credit/BDC market sentiment, cross-currency funding opportunities amid divergent central-bank paths, market efficiency gains since the 1990s and during COVID, and how AI and better information flow are reshaping capital markets and junior banker skill needs.

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