In 2023, Latin American and Caribbean International Bond Activity Rebounded from the 2022 Lows
Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) issuers placed US$ 89 billion of bonds in international markets in 2023. This total was 40% higher than in 2022 but 35% lower than the average issuance in the three-year period from 2019 to 2021. The average coupon rate was 1.65 percentage points higher than in 2022. This increase has translated into higher financing costs for corporates and for the governments of the region. Average coupon rates on the region’s dollar-denominated sovereign issuances have climbed steadily in recent years, from 3.6% in 2021 to 5.1% in 2022 and to 6.6% in 2023, illustrating how…