Creditflux

Credit traders’ kickstand: it’s a tough time to go short
Credit derivative indices are ending the week back at very tight levels, with a re-convergence of spreads, with little appetite to bet against presumed central bank dovishness or the upcoming CDS rolls in September

Pemberton pulls in €3.5 billion for European direct lending fund
Pemberton has closed its second European direct lending fund at €3.5 billion, exceeding its original €2.5 billion target size, and has deployed 70% of the capital

Large US direct lender eyes expansion into Europe, reports Debtwire
One of the largest investors in the US middle market is planning to expand into Europe, according to Creditflux’s sister publication Debtwire

Italian job bombshell doesn't blow doors off financial CDS outperformance
Senior financial CDS have been among the best performing credits today as the market pushes tighter, with seemingly little anxiety about yesterday’s resignation of Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte

Euro trading: Vue proves to be leading light for CLOs, but liquid bonds play crucial support role
Vue International's newly issued loan starred in 25 CLO managers' portfolios, which bought €239.4 million of the loan in June and made it a box office hit among CLO managers, according to CLO-i.

CLO pipeline: Golub and Sound Point to cement positions among market leaders
Last week there were nine CLOs priced in the US market, including four broadly syndicated loan new issues and two middle market new issues, whereas there was no issuance in Europe. The CLO action over the next few weeks is again weighted towards the US, according to market sources

PGIM to join exclusive list of managers to reset, rather than refi, a euro CLO
PGIM is set to join the small but growing list of managers to reset a European CLO this year, as the manager teams up with BNP Paribas to bring a reset of Dryden 48 Euro CLO

Credit traders' kickstand: Basis and CDS curves take focus with long wait ahead for central bank direction
With almost a month to wait before the European Central Bank and US Federal Reserve hold their next decisive meetings, a bumpier and seemingly directionless road continues in credit markets as investors show little inclination to do anything more adventurous than just hold on tight

Big questions for CDS shorters as Isda protocol countdown begins
With only a month to go until the International Swaps & Derivatives Association rolls out its protocol for narrowly tailored credit events, big net buyers of CDS protection should think hard about both its value and maintaining liquidity, says law firm Kramer Levin

Texas pension to invest up to $225 million in distressed debt
Investment consultant Cliffwater recommends an annual commitment of up to $225 million in distressed debt to Texas County & District Retirement System (TCDRS), according to documents seen by Creditflux

Emerging market CDS trading slumped in Q2, finds Emta
There was $364 billion of emerging markets CDS trading in second quarter, according to the Emerging Markets Traders Association

Cambridge University appoints CIO
The University of Cambridge has named a CIO who previously served at instutituions such as the BBC and Virgin  

Silicon Valley pension to invest $20 million in private debt
San Jose Federated City Employees Retirement System and Health Care Trust is set to make commitments of $20 million in private debt, as part of its fiscal year 2019-2020 pacing plan, according to documents seen by Creditflux  

CLO pipeline: refis can't wait till after summer
The CLO market in both the US and Europe looks to be slowing down in the near future with only two deals added to the running pipeline.  

Los Angeles pension appoints four managers for private credit mandate
Los Angeles City Employees Retirement System (Lacers) has awarded four contracts for a $670 million private credit mandate search, according to minutes from the July investment committee meeting.  

Buy iTraxx Europe equity tranche risk but sell Crossover mezz, says JP Morgan
Investors should stick with ‘search for yield’ ideas in investment grade credit, say JP Morgan credit strategists, including selling iTraxx Europe 0-3% equity tranches delta hedged, going long the 10-year Europe index, and selling credit volatility through index options while buying equity market volatility

BlueMountain buyout to bring CLO equity shift, funding pledge and Feldstein payout
BlueMountain Capital Management’s co-founder Andrew Feldstein looks set to receive a substantial pay-out in common shares of Assured Guaranty, which has agreed to buy the manager for around $160 million and has outlined a three-year plan for its CLOs

US pension scheme eyes 50 South Capital fund of funds
50 South Capital Backed Credit Fund II, a fund-of funds vehicle, is set to invest in four loan funds in small and medium size companies, according to documents seen by Creditflux  

Carval fashions 'flexible' global multi-strategy credit hedge fund
The open-ended fund will focus on non-control strategies including corporate securities, liquidations, loan portfolios and structured credit 

Credit traders' kickstand: volatility puts paid to primary, but pays out for relative value buyers
The persistence of credit market choppiness has brought into focus CDS/bond basis plays, options positioning, high yield dispersion and peripheral European weakness - but mainly the volatility rash has put a block on borrowers' primary market aspirations

Spire prices CLO triple As at 105bp as Euribor rates slide
Spire Partners scored Europe’s tightest triple A CLO print of the year yesterday with market sources indicating that this is a reflection of how attractive CLO tranches are given the recent drop in Euribor rates

Boston-based pension backs Searchlight distressed fund
Cambridge Retirement System, the $1.27 billion pension fund, has committed $150 million to Searchlight Capital Partners III during the second semester of 2019, according to documents seen by Creditflux.  

Lombard Odier expands sustainability team
Lombard Odier has bolstered its sustainability capabilities with the appointments of Christopher Kaminker and Ebba Lepage  

Galapagos CDS settles higher than expected despite net interest to sell
Galapagos Holdings CDS settled at a price that, while low, was nonetheless higher than had been implied by initial markets despite a net open interest among participating dealers to sell the company’s bonds

Local connections pay off as UK pension backs Tosca
Tosca Debt Capital has begun marketing Tosca Debt Capital Fund III and secured a commitment from the Greater Manchester Pension Fund, according to documents seen by Creditflux