Sub-sovereign bonds prove slow to catch on in Europe

Not so long ago touted as a major growth area, the market for bonds issued by European regions and municipalities has proved to be a steady rather than spectacular performer, with old stagers such as the German Länder dominant and newcomers rare. Devolution of power from the centre has not been as fast as expected and despite central governments’ desire to offload debt burdens there are doubts about the viability of sub-sovereign bond finance when it is more costly than central government borrowing.