Our Fixed Income Views for 2026
1. Global rate cuts to continue, setting the stage for steeper curves
2. Opportunities in medium-term bonds – A blend of income and upside potential
3. Sovereign bonds: Our picks across US, Singapore, Malaysian, and Australian treasuries
4. IG credit: Stay up the quality ladder. Stick with investment-grade bonds
5. HY credit: Tapping high-yield bonds for yield, but selectivity remains key
6. EM debt: Modestly positive on EM hard currency bonds
The year in summary
Chart 1: After a broad recovery in 2025, major bond markets continue to climb higher, generating positive returns year-to-date
1. Global rate cuts to continue, setting the stage for steeper curves
Chart 2: Many major central banks have cut rates in 2025
Chart 3: UST curve steepened in 2025, led by 2Y – 10Y in 1H25 and 1M – 1Y in 2H25
2. Opportunities in medium-term bonds – A blend of income and upside potential
Chart 4: Estimated 12-month returns for 5–10Y US Treasuries under different yield-change scenarios.
Chart 5: USD corporate bond curves are much steeper than the UST curve…
Chart 6: … the same can be observed for EUR corporate bond curves
3. Sovereign bonds: Our picks across US, Singapore, Malaysian, and Australian treasuries
Chart 7: Treasury yield curves are steeper in 2025. We see value in medium-term bonds
4. IG credit: Stay up the quality ladder. Stick with investment-grade bonds
Chart 8: IG corporate bond yields remain elevated despite rate cuts
Chart 9: Yield pickup of global HY over IG corporate bonds, on aggregate, is at extreme lows
Chart 10: Higher entry yields have strongly correlated with higher forward returns for IG bonds
Table 1: Selected USD and SGD IG corporate bond recommendations
|
Issues |
Issuer |
Ask Price |
Yield to Maturity/ Call (%) |
Years to Maturity/ Call |
Bond Credit Rating (S&P/ Fitch) |
|
USD |
|||||
|
LG Chemical |
89.05 |
4.63 |
5.58 / - |
BBB / - |
|
|
LG Energy Solution |
102.75 |
4.53 |
3.56 / - |
BBB / - |
|
|
Embraer Netherlands Finance |
109.80 |
4.51 |
4.64/ - |
BBB/ BBB- |
|
|
Embraer Netherlands |
106.75 |
5.03 |
9.18/ - |
BBB/ BBB- |
|
|
Meituan |
98.85 |
4.74 |
5.40 /- |
A- / BBB+ |
|
|
Meituan |
98.75 |
4.97 |
6.91/- |
A- / BBB+ |
|
|
Phoenix Group |
101.35 |
4.47 |
1.57/ - |
- / BBB+ |
|
|
FWD Group |
100.25 |
5.19 |
4.79 / - |
- / BBB- |
|
|
FWD Group |
110.55 |
5.41 |
5.56/ - |
- / BBB- |
|
|
Mirae Asset |
104.15 |
4.56 |
3.13/ - |
BBB / - |
|
|
Bank of East Asia |
100.80 |
4.96 / 4.59 |
2.58 / 1.57 |
BBB / - |
|
|
Bank of East Asia |
104.85 |
5.83 / 5.23 |
8.55 / 3.55 |
BBB / - |
|
|
HSBC Holdings |
100.20 |
4.66 / 4.57 |
5.91 / 4.91 |
A- / A+ |
|
|
HSBC Holdings |
117.30 |
5.43 / 5.10 |
7.91 / 6.91 |
BBB+ / A- |
|
|
Societe Generale SA |
102.30 |
4.60 /4.45 |
3.34 / 2.34 |
BBB / A- |
|
|
Societe Generale SA |
105.05 |
5.49 / 5.29 |
7.52 / 6.52 |
BBB- / BBB |
|
|
SGD |
|||||
|
HSBC Hldg |
105.9 |
3.36 / 2.61 |
7.26 / 2.26 |
BBB+ / A- |
|
|
HSBC Hldg |
106.7 |
3.56 / 3.14 |
8.30 / 3.30 |
BBB+ / A- |
|
|
BPCE SA |
105.0 |
3.45/ 3.29 |
9.12 / 4.12 |
BBB / BBB+ |
|
|
BPCE SA |
106.0 |
3.51 / 3.04 |
8.25 / 3.25 |
BBB / BBB+ |
|
|
Credit Agricole SA |
106.0 |
3.56 / 2.95 |
7.75 / 2.75 |
BBB+ / A- |
|
|
Credit Agricole SA |
102.3 |
3.21 / 2.52 |
6.62 / 1.62 |
BBB+ / A- |
|
|
BNP Paribas |
104.2 |
4.04 / 2.53 |
6.59 / 1.59 |
BBB+ / A- |
|
|
BNP Paribas |
105.4 |
3.21 / 2.98 |
8.18 / 3.18 |
BBB+ / A- |
|
|
OUE REIT |
99.35 |
2.86/ - |
6.83 / - |
BBB- / - |
|
|
Sources: Bondsupermart, iFAST Compilations. Data as of 9 December 2025. |
|||||
5. HY credit: Tapping High-Yield bonds for yield, but selectivity remains key
Chart 11: HY bond segments are yielding around 6% – 8% on aggregate
Chart 12: Interest coverage ratios for global HY issuers have trended below long-term averages
Chart 13: Global HY spreads now price in a default rate near historical lows, while the actual trailing 12-month default rates have trended higher
Table 2: Selected USD and SGD HY corporate bond recommendations
| Issues | Issuer | Ask Price | Yield to Maturity/ Call (%) | Years to Maturity/ Call | Bond Credit Rating (S&P/ Fitch) |
| USD | |||||
| MUTHIN 7.125% 14Feb2028 Corp (USD) | Muthoot Finance | 102.3 | 6.00 /- | 2.18 / - | BB+ / BB+ |
| MUTHIN 6.375% 23Apr2029 Corp (USD) | Muthoot Finance | 101.5 | 5.88 / - | 3.37 / - | BB+ / BB+ |
| RAKUTN 11.250% 15Feb2027 Corp (USD) | Rakuten Group | 107.3 | 4.84 / - | 1.19/ - | BB / - |
| RAKUTN 9.750% 15Apr2029 Corp (USD) | Rakuten Group | 111.6 | 5.89 / - | 3.35 / - | BB / - |
| HONGQI 7.050% 10Jan2028 Corp (USD) | China Hongqiao Group | 103.4 | 5.32 / - | 2.09 / - | - / BB+ |
| HONGQI 6.925% 29Nov2028 Corp (USD) | China Hongqiao Group | 103.8 | 5.52 / - | 2.97 / - | BB- / BB+ |
| TEVA 5.125% 09May2029 Corp (USD) | Teva Pharma Finance | 101.0 | 4.78/ - | 3.42 / - | BB / BB+ |
| TEVA 5.750% 01Dec2030 Corp (USD) | Teva Pharma Finance | 104.4 | 4.70/ - | 4.98 / - | BB / BB+ |
| BBVASM 5.125% 18Jan2033 Corp (USD) | BBVA Bancomer | 97.9 | 6.26 / 6.20 | 7.14 / 2.11 | BB / BB+ |
| SOCGEN 10.000% Perpetual Corp (USD) | Societe Generale SA | 111.0 | - / 5.85 | - / 3.02 | BB / BB+ |
| SOCGEN 9.375% Perpetual Corp (USD) | Societe Generale SA | 107.0 | - / 5.54 | - /1.95 | BB / BB+ |
| SGD | |||||
| TMGSP 5.500% 31May2028 Corp (SGD) | Thomson Medical Group | 104.1 | 3.41 /- | 2.47 / - | N.R. |
| TMGSP 4.650% 29Oct2029 Corp (SGD) | Thomson Medical Group | 104.1 | 3.52 /- | 3.89 / - | N.R. |
| QNMSP 3.950% 10Jul2028 Corp (SGD) | Q&M Dental Group SG | 101 | 3.54 / - | 2.58 / - | N.R. |
| IREGLB 6.000% 22May2028 Corp (SGD) | IREIT Global | 103.2 | 4.62 / - | 2.45 / - | N.R. |
| MSFSSP 5.100% 29Oct2029 Corp (SGD) | Aspial Lifestyle | 100.8 | 4.87 / - | 3.89 / - | N.R. |
| MMFSSP 5.000% 30Oct2028 Corp (SGD) | MoneyMax Treasure | 100.6 | 4.77 / - | 2.89 / - | N.R. |
| EREIT 6.000% Perpetual Corp (SGD) | ESR-REIT | 107.0 | - / 3.95 | - / 3.69 | N.R. |
| SOCGEN 8.250% Perpetual Corp (SGD) | Societe Generale SA | 106.4 | - / 4.06 | - /1.60 | BB / BB+ |
| Sources:
Bondsupermart, iFAST Compilations. Data as of 9 December 2025. * Given that the majority of SGD issuances lack credit ratings, we added issuances we consider attractive but view as high-yield. |
|||||
5. EM debt: Modestly positive on EM hard currency bonds
Chart 14: EM government debt looks more manageable than DM and is expected to remain so moving forward
Chart 15: Among the largest EM issuers, debt ratios remain meaningfully below DM levels, despite varying fiscal balance
Chart 16: EM hard currency bonds continue to offer decent aggregate yields and pickup over the 10Y UST
Declaration:
For specific disclosure, at the time of publication of this report, IFPL (via its connected and associated entities) holds a position in FWDGHD 5.252% 22Sep2030 Corp (USD), MUTHIN 7.125% 14Feb2028 Corp (USD), RAKUTN 11.250% 15Feb2027 Corp (USD), BACR 8.300% Perpetual Corp (SGD), 14Mar2033 Corp (SGD), BNP 4.750% 15Feb2034 Corp (SGD), and the analyst who produced this report holds a NIL position in securities mentioned in this article.
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