Moody’s Investors Service has launched a new webpage dedicated to Canada’s growing high yield debt market, the credit rating agency said Monday.

Moody’s reports a significant increase in the number of speculative-grade issuers raising capital in Canada and an accompanying growing market interest.

Moody’s currently rates over 1,300 speculative-grade companies globally, of which approximately 70 are Canadian.

Over the past 18 months, Moody’s reports that $3.7 billion of speculative-grade debt has been issued domestically.

Moody’s has also rated $15 billion of speculative grade debt issued by Canadian companies in the U.S. market.

“The Canadian market has traditionally been limited to investment-grade issues, however, the market appetite for speculative-grade debt has increased and Canadian companies are responding to that demand,” said Donald Carter, managing director of Moody’s Canada.

The new high yield page will include a Canadian high yield issuer list, updated weekly, high yield research reports, and high yield rating news.

IE