Thanks to good trades prior to M&A, credit downgrades, and defaults, the insurers in the top quintile for dealer-network size achieved about 0.84 percentage point higher annual returns on corporate bonds, according to a recent study.
The average yield in the U.S. investment-grade and high-yield bond markets fell following the Fed's move, making borrowing more attractive for issuers.
"August lulled investors into tight spreads combined with ever-strong demand for credit. Issuers can borrow at rates we haven't seen in a couple of years."