Corporate bond issuance worldwide reached approximately $3.68 trillion in the January-June 2026 period, setting another first-half record as companies compete to finance artificial intelligence (AI) investments. This surge in bond sales is largely driven by major U.S. technology firms such as Amazon and Oracle, which are issuing tens of billions of dollars in bonds to support AI-related projects, including data center expansions.

However, the aggressive borrowing has raised concerns among investors, who are beginning to seek higher yields amid widening credit spreads. The trend highlights the intense funding race in the AI sector as corporations globally ramp up their investments.

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