Corporate debt. RECORDS UNDER THREAT.

(From Financial Mail)

Byline: Stafford Thomas

Corporate debt RECORDS UNDER THREAT Abooming economy, and interest rates at their lowest levels in a quarter of a century, fired up SA's corporate debt market in 2005 as companies came to the market for capital with a fervour not seen since 2001.

Excluding commercial paper, R32,7bn was raised by issues on the Bond Exchange of SA (Besa), more than double the R16,2bn raised in 2004 and within striking distance of 2001's record R35,9bn. And it is a record that looks assailable in 2006. There appears to be another strong year ahead," says Reynold Leegerstee, SA manager of international rating agency Moody's Investors' Service. Besa listing manager Alan Jones echoes his view, …