ESG Debt Sales Hit Eight-Month Low as Volatility Deters Issuers

Global sustainable debt sales fell to an eight-month low in April as borrowers in U.S. and Europe postponed deals amid worries about rising rates, the economy and geopolitics.

Sales of green, social, sustainability, sustainability-linked bonds, loans and munis fell to about $70 billion in April, data compiled by Bloomberg show. That’s the lowest since August 2021, when companies and governments issued about $67 billion of ESG debt.

Weeks of volatility in global markets have deterred issuers of both sustainable and non-ESG debt. The Federal Reserve’s hawkish pivot last month stymied high-grade corporate bond sales in the U.S., while Europe’s ...