The European dollar bond market has developed into one of the most important sources of funding for European companies and governments. It is estimated that the European bond market is more than twice the size of the US bond market and has more issuers than any other bond market in the world.
The European dollar bond market has its roots in the international integration of European capital markets over the past two decades. The proliferation of cross-border bank lending, securitisation of loans, and the emergence of a global bond market have all contributed to the growth of the Eurodollar bond market. The investment banks, in particular, have been key players in the development of the Eurodollar market. The lead underwriters have utilised the pricing power stemming from the sheer size of their balance sheets to offer investors attractive terms and conditions.
In recent years, the European bond market has seen healthy demand, thanks to reduced borrowing costs, ability to tap a wide variety of debt instruments and rate structures, and increased market liquidity. This has allowed issuers to tap a diverse range of buyers, from institutional investors to individual pension funds and private individuals. In recent years, the use of swap transactions has allowed for greater flexibility in structuring Eurodollar bonds.
The growth of the European bond market has also been supported to a large extent by the increasing reliance of European companies and governments on overseas financing. This has been driven in part by the globalisation of the bond market, which has meant that investors from all corners of the globe have been able to access European debt instruments. In addition, changes to the taxation and regulatory environment in Europe have made it much easier for overseas investors to access European bond issuances.
The European dollar bond market is also influenced by global macroeconomic and political trends. The fallout from the euro zone debt crisis and the divergent monetary policies of the major central banks in Europe and the United States has had a significant impact on the bond market in recent years. In addition, the tapering of the US Federal Reserve’s quantitative easing program and the increasing role played by the Bank of Japan in propping up the Eurozone’s debt markets have had a profound effect on the pricing of Eurodollar bonds.
In spite of the recent volatility in the European bond market, it is generally seen as a safe haven for investors, especially in terms of offering a diversified pool of issuers and ratings. Furthermore, the Eurodollar bond market continues to grow in terms of liquidity and variety of instruments available to investors. This suggests that the Eurodollar bond market is likely to remain an important source of funding for European companies and governments in the future.