Finance & economics | Xi’s premium

Chinese companies suffer an intense cash crunch in offshore bond markets

Spreads on junk bonds are at their highest ever

|HONG KONG

GLOBAL INVESTORS are all too aware of the discount on the valuations of mainland firms as a result of Xi Jinping’s aim to lower leverage, house prices and inequality in China. Borrowers, for their part, must contend with a “Xi premium” on sorely needed capital. The Chinese leader’s policies may have led to a perilous credit crunch for many companies, especially property developers, in global markets.

This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline “Xi’s premium”

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