Junk Bonds Out of Funk

The popularity of junk bonds in the U.S. is as high as it has been since the high flying days of the 1990s, according to a recent Financial Times report.

Sales of the product have eclipsed last year’s totals already, and its only June. A whopping $64 billion in junk-rated bonds have been sold to date in 2003, well ahead of the $59 billion sold all of last year, according to data from Thomson Financial. Analysts predict $100 billion in junk bonds will be issued this year.