US syndicated loan volume hits $465B as investment-grade lending jumps 22%

At US$465bn, 2Q26 US syndicated loan volume buoyed by 22% jump in investment grade lending

US lenders completed over US$936Bn of loan issuance via the broadly syndicated market in 2Q26, to bring 1H26 totals to nearly US$1.873trn, up roughly 6% compared to the same time last year.  An additional US$294bn was raised via clubbed executions.  Investment grade credits provided the backbone of BSL lending activity during the quarter at US$465.3bn to bring half year totals to just under US$789bn.  The results marked year over year incease of 22% on a quarterly basis and a 20% jump for the first six months of 2026.  At US$164.5bn new loan assets represented 35% of 2Q26 investment grade lending and a two fold increase year over year.  In contrast, the leveraged BSL market was constructive but signficantly under supplied.  At US$297bn, 2Q26 leveraged loan volume was down over 13% year over year.  1H26 totals of US$694bn were off nearly 11% amid a a thin calendar of new deal creation. 1H26 new money at US$218bn was down 14.5% year over year. At US$17bn 2Q26 LBO issuance was down almost 50% quarter over quarter but modestly up year over year to boost half year totals to just under US$51bn.  Against this backdrop, leveraged pricing edged down for most sectors outside of AI or AI adjacent credits, and those buyouts which did come to market were well supported.