The Globe and Mail reports in its Friday edition that more companies were tossed into the investment junkyard during the first three months of this year than in all of 2015, as weak commodity prices helped to undermine balance sheets. The Globe's Ian McGugan writes that Moody's pushed 51 companies out of its investment-grade category during the first quarter of 2016, a reflection of their increasing risk of default. By comparison, Moody's downgraded only 45 companies to below investment-grade status during all of last year. The debt of the companies that have been downgraded is now considered speculative grade. Among them is the decreasing number of companies in what Moody's calls the crossover zone -- businesses that are close to being downgraded to junk status, or speculative-grade companies that may soon be boosted to investment grade. Barrick, Goldcorp and Yamana Gold are still considered investment grade, but only barely, and with negative outlooks for their credit quality, according to Moody's. In the energy sector, Canadian Natural Resources is in similar straits, as is methanol producer Methanex. On a more positive note, Progressive Waste Solutions is a potential Canadian rising star.