Bonds

As Europe Rearms, Bond Funds Are Ripping Up the Rule Book

Debt investors are scrambling to find ESG workarounds to finance defense companies.

Europe is rearming.

Photographer: Valeria Mongelli/Bloomberg
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Europe’s plan to rearm in the face of Russian aggression and US detachment has already delivered a bonanza to equity investors. Credit funds are scrambling to get a share of the windfall, too.

Like other key parts of the capital markets, corporate-debt investors are having to navigate ESG restrictions that in more peaceful times put weapons makers beyond the pale. Now they’re looking to rip up many of those rules.