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Credit Market Shows Signs of 'Carry' Demand Despite Rate Hikes, But Primary Market Recovery Remains Uncertain
Finance · Major Banks · yonhap_finance · 2026-08-29
While carry demand for high-grade corporate bonds is emerging following Bank of Korea rate hikes, overall market recovery remains constrained by persistent uncertainty.
What Happened
Credit Market Sentiment: Despite consecutive interest rate hikes by the Bank of Korea, the credit market is seeing a resurgence in carry demand, particularly for high-grade bonds. Experts suggest that because the rate hikes were largely priced in, the expectation that rates have peaked is attracting investors seeking yield.
Investment Appeal: Recent successful demand forecasts for hybrid bonds from major financial institutions like KB Financial Group highlight the appeal of absolute yield levels. However, analysts caution that this demand is limited to specific high-quality issuers and does not necessarily signal a broad-based recovery for the entire credit market.
Primary Market Challenges: With corporate bond yields still exceeding bank loan rates, companies continue to favor bank loans and short-term financing over bond issuance. As short-term rates like CD and CP yields remain relatively stable, this preference for short-term funding is expected to persist in the near term.
Future Outlook: With the year-end approaching and seasonal issuance slowdowns expected, a significant market-wide rally is unlikely for the remainder of the year. Experts recommend a cautious approach, focusing on high-grade bonds to capture interest income rather than betting on a rapid recovery in issuance volume.