Daily Update — September 2, 2026
Sustainable Bond Midyear Outlook; Private Equity’s New Playbook; and the State of Hormuz Trade
Today is Wednesday, September 2, 2026, and here’s your curated selection of Essential Intelligence on global markets from S&P Global. Subscribe to be notified of each new Daily Update.
Sustainabile Finance
Sustainable Bond Outlook Midyear 2026: Stability In A Maturing Market
Green bond issuance by European issuers and supranationals increased 36% year over year to a record $250 billion in the first half of 2026. Renewable energy continues as the dominant use-of-proceeds category, reflecting the intensifying convergence of two global priorities: the transition to a low-carbon economy and the pursuit of energy security. By prioritizing low-carbon energy, including renewables and nuclear, European issuers are leveraging green finance to mitigate the vulnerabilities exposed by recent energy crises, turning decarbonization goals into a strategy for energy resilience.
Supply and demand for sustainable bonds has persisted. S&P Global Ratings does not anticipate rapid near-term issuance growth, but the quality of disclosures and transparency around sustainable bond issuance continues to increase. The market is also growing through the continued adoption of sublabels geared toward specific uses of proceeds or jurisdictions. The sustainable bond market is beginning to forge its own path as it decouples from conventional bond markets.
Private Markets
Listen: Redefining the Edge: Private Equity’s New Playbook
In this episode of the “Private Markets 360°” podcast, Rachel Barton, global lead for CEO advisory and private equity at Accenture, joined hosts Chris Sparenberg and Jocelyn Lewis to share insights on advising private equity firms across the full deal life cycle. Barton also explained how private equity has changed, with firms now relying on advanced analytics, AI and ecosystem collaboration to stay competitive as traditional sources of value become less reliable.
Global Trade
US-Iran war six months on: Tanker rates, fuel prices surge amid disruptions
Disruption around the Strait of Hormuz is driving tanker freight rates to record highs and tightening refined products markets as Qatar faces a prolonged loss of LNG export capacity. S&P Global Commodities at Sea data shows that ship crossings via the waterway, which normally handles 20% of global seaborne oil and LNG flows, have fallen by over 80% since the war began Feb. 28.
Persian Gulf energy producers have faced lower ship viability for their seaborne trades while developing alternative, longer routes to maintain their exports, resulting in more tonnage requirements. "The restricted Hormuz trading and different owners' risk levels have resulted in poorer fleet employment efficiency," Commodities at Sea analysts said in an Aug. 25 report.
In case you missed it
- China is importing a growing share of Russian LNG despite weaker-than-expected gas demand, supported by discounted cargoes from Arctic LNG 2 and improvements in Russia's shipping capacity.
- Despite subdued underlying demand, earnings among European chemical companies improved in the second quarter of 2026 due to higher pricing and spreads, inventory effects and cost reductions.
- Issuance volumes and the number of managers in the European collateralized loan obligation market have surged over the past few years, allowing for more sophisticated and statistically robust frameworks to characterize transactions and analyze performance.
Upcoming events
- Understanding Key Credit Risks in the Digital Infrastructure Sector | September 8 (Webinar)
- Beyond Reporting: Turning Sustainability into Business Value with CSA as a Service | September 8 (Webinar)
- Under Pressure: How Bond Markets and Sustainable Debt Are Responding to Affordability Challenges | September 10 (Webinar)