Finance1 min read

US tech giants' AI borrowing could push up Europe's bond yields

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Fidelity International estimates that between €40 billion and €60 billion in technology-related debt is currently in the pipeline. To mitigate climbing long-term yields, several European corporate borrowers are now shortening their bond maturities to five to seven years. Meanwhile, the influx of highly rated corporate paper is drawing capital away from sovereign debt, creating broader friction for European public debt markets.

Key points

  • Surging debt issuance by American hyperscalers is intensifying competition for capital ag…: Surging debt issuance by American hyperscalers is intensifying competition for capital against traditional European utilities and automakers.
  • Rising corporate bond yields are putting upward pressure on sovereign borrowing costs as…: Rising corporate bond yields are putting upward pressure on sovereign borrowing costs as investors favor high-grade corporate paper.
  • European issuers are pivoting toward shorter five-to-seven-year maturities to navigate th…: European issuers are pivoting toward shorter five-to-seven-year maturities to navigate the pressure of rising long-term yields.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

While technology-related debt issuance in Europe remains significantly below US levels, investors expect borrowing to accelerate across euro, sterling and Swiss franc markets in the coming months.

Alphabet launched its second euro-denominated bond sale of the year on Monday, following a €9 billion ($10 billion) issue in May. Other major technology companies, including Meta, Amazon and Microsoft, are also expected to increase overseas borrowing to fund AI investments.

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Fidelity International's fixed-income chief investment officer Marion Le Morhedec estimates that €40 billion to €60 billion in technology-related debt issuance could be in the pipeline, the report stated.

Technology-related debt issuance in the United States has exceeded $250 billion so far this year, up 81% year-on-year. European issuance stood at $39.3 billion, an increase of around 5%, according to LSEG data cited by Reuters.

BNP Paribas expects net supply of euro-denominated investment-grade corporate bonds to rise 83% to €192 billion in 2027, compared with €105 billion this year. US companies issuing bonds in European markets,…

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