Inside this episode

Anushka Shah of the Sovereign team discusses how the coronavirus is exacerbating income inequality across emerging Asia, which will pose challenges to governments with weak social protection systems and low capacity to raise spending. Also, Matthew Kuchtyak of the ESG team looks at the growing importance of social issues for global investors, as reflected in the recent record issuance of sustainable bonds.

Related content:

• Moody's Emerging Markets Hub Bringing clarity to ever-shifting credit dynamics across emerging economies.
• Sovereign and Supranational — Asia Pacific: Pandemic shock will spur income inequality, with credit risks for fiscally weak sovereigns The impact of the coronavirus pandemic will exacerbate income inequality across Asia Pacific (APAC). Governments with constrained fiscal capacity have limited scope to address the resulting social and political strains, which could amplify credit risks.
• Cross-Sector — Sustainable Finance – Global: Record issuance of sustainable bonds in Q3 2020 as green bond volumes recover Global green, social and sustainability bond issuance totalled a record $127.3 billion in the third quarter of 2020, 30% higher than the previous record achieved during Q2 2020.