Wall Street Races to Cut Its Risk From AI’s Borrowing Binge

Core Viewpoint - The financial sector is increasingly utilizing credit derivatives to manage exposure to risks associated with significant investments in technology, particularly in artificial intelligence and data centers. Group 1: Credit Derivatives and Risk Management - Trading of Oracle's credit default swaps surged to approximately $8 billion over nine weeks ending November 28, a significant increase from around $350 million during the same period last year [1] - The cost of protecting Oracle Corp. debt against default using derivatives has reached its highest level since the Global Financial Crisis, indicating heightened risk perception [5] - Banks are exploring various tools, including credit derivatives and sophisticated bonds, to transfer the risk associated with underwriting the AI boom to other investors [3] Group 2: Debt Market Dynamics - Global bond issuance has exceeded $6.46 trillion in 2025, driven by substantial offerings from major tech companies like Oracle, Meta, and Alphabet, which are expected to invest at least $5 trillion in infrastructure [4] - The urgency for banks to mitigate risk is evident in the credit markets, as they provide large construction loans for data centers, including a $38 billion loan package and an $18 billion loan for new facilities [7] - The size of recent debt offerings has escalated, with $30 billion raised for Meta in a single day, reflecting the growing scale of financing needs among hyperscalers [19] Group 3: Investment Opportunities - There are notable opportunities in selling protection on Microsoft and other tech companies, as their credit default swaps are trading at high spreads relative to their risk of default [11] - Morgan Stanley is considering significant risk transfer transactions to offload some of its exposure related to AI infrastructure loans, which could provide default protection for a portion of its loan portfolio [12][13] - Private capital firms are also looking to acquire banks' exposure in significant risk transfers tied to data centers, indicating a broader interest in managing tech-related credit risk [14]