M&A financing continues to translate into supply opportunities in the investment grade market. With companies like Home Depot and Johnson & Johnson recently announcing multi-billion-dollar acquisition deals, we believe there is a $100 billion pipeline of announced deals over the course of 2024. However, the consumer retail space has simultaneously begun to slow down. With tight spreads and an election year underway, how has the consumer retail space been impacted by current economic conditions? How are companies responding and planning to grow in this economic environment? What are some motivators and considerations for corporations in the M&A space? On this episode of Disruptive Forces, host Anu Rajakumar invites Kristin Cejda, Senior Research Analyst and Co-Director of Investment Grade Credit Research, to discuss key topics in the state of the investment grade credit space, unravel the dynamics of consumer behavior, and shed light on the strategic shifts companies are making to navigate the current credit landscape.

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Toxic air and America's sacrifice zones / Ava Kofman