Limiting the sample to maturities at issuance of seven years or longer, to capture standard high-yield structures, there have been 11 such issues thus far in 2013, versus 20 offerings in all of 2012 (excluding split-rated deals).

FORBES: In low-rate environment, more "high yield" bond issuers forge into 4% territory

The CFTC for a time appeared to be using the same model for an identifier it required for swaps, but then backed away and said it would wait for the global development of an LEI and call its identifier the CFTC Interim Compliant Identifier (CICI) a sort of LEI Lite which will convert or yield to the LEI standard once it is adopted.

FORBES: Financial LEI's -- Required To Reduce Operational Risk

We found that when earnings yield spreads during the prior five years averaged more than two standard deviations above the average, investors on average earned (annualized) returns on stocks of 21.3% for the following year, 17% for the next two years, 14.6% for the next three years and 8.3% over five years.

FORBES: What is the Earnings Yield Spread Telling Us?