Weak commodity and oil prices are putting pressure on mining and energy company profits. This, in turn, raises questions about their ability to repay creditors; hence the spike in high-yield credit spreads and the concern around banks – particularly European banks. On its own, this issue would concern investors. However in this instance it has been tossed into a market already skittish over the potential for policy mis-step, on two fronts: will there be a hard landing in China (worsened by capital outflows), and can the Fed embark on a tightening cycle without tipping the economy into recession? (VIEW LINK)