Creditflux

US pension backs special opportunities fund
Virginia Retirement System (VRS) has committed $150 million to a special opportunities fund, managed by Ares Management Corporation  

Points up front: There are lies, damn lies and awards pitches
We’re hearing empty boasts, trash talking of their rivals and no shortage of promises that will absolutely be delivered.

Complacency rules after rally in run-up to UK election
UK credits rallying was a familiar sight for much of November, mainly due to investors cutting their previous short positions ahead of the country’s 12 December election, but dealers reported little appetite to replace long, short or hedging trades going into the final stretch.

Deep dive trade is on, but single name risks still abound
High yield CDS is reversing its previous underperformance versus investment grade, reflecting an investor shift down the quality spectrum in cash bonds.

Attack is the best form of defence
Yes, idiosyncratic risks are creeping into corporate credit. But speakers at Creditflux’s CLO Summit were convinced that the most creative firms will be able to thrive without taking on additional risk

Fund performance: Long-short funds rule in October as CLO funds struggle
A round-up of fund performance

Ucits at a glance: Ucits continue to chart a steady course

CLOs at a glance: innovations arrive as year draws to close

Welshcake: Don’t get too comfortable. The truth is there are hundreds of things that could be catalysts for a sell-off
Just because there’s no obvious sign of a sell-off, doesn’t mean it’s not going to happen. Often, market moves defy logic

‘Buying the dip’ is going to be a poor investment strategy when the next downturn comes
The next credit downturn will be shallower but more prolonged than the last, so what works will be different, too

Deans Foods auction delivers big lunch for CDS protection buyers
Dean Foods CDS has been settled in a credit event auction at a final price of just 9.25 cents – half the 18 cents indicated by the Dallas-headquartered company’s bonds at the time the auction was called

Green credit programme reaches €253 million at first close
A green credit continuum programme, launched by Amundi and the European Investment Bank (EIB), held its first close at €253 million  

Goldman Sachs AM explores interval structure for credit fund
Goldman Sachs Asset Management has begun marketing for an interval fund primarily focused on credit investments

No 2020 recession, cyclical bonds will outperform and CLOs won't crash, says BNP Paribas
There will not be a recession in 2020 and investors should stay long credit with the expectation that high yield cyclical and non-financial borrowers will outperform in a bullish market, BNP Paribas strategists have confidently predicted

Fortress prices its first CBO of the year
Fortress Investment Group priced its first new issue CBO of the year on Friday via GreensLedge, the lead arranger on the deal, and Natixis

Danish pension backs green bonds
Sampension is set to boost its green portfolio, by allocating DKK300 million to German and Irish green bonds

Beware of "mequity" risk in direct lending, writes Barings
Barings co-head of global private finance, Ian Fowler, predicts that the adoption of lending terms associated with broadly syndicated loans into private credit will not prove beneficial in the long term

Dean Foods CDS to have one deliverable, with 80 cent pay-out indicated
There will be only one bond deliverable into an auction to settle CDS referencing Dean Foods, the Americas Determinations Committee has confirmed

Dean Foods CDS set to have only one deliverable on the menu
Only one bond has made it onto the supplemental list of deliverable obligations for an auction to settle CDS referencing Dean Foods

US pension fund hires fixed income manager
Howard County Retirement Plans has appointed Payden & Rygel to oversee a $40 million absolute-return fixed income portfolio, according to documents seen by Creditflux  

Former DFG CLO head resurfaces at Silver Rock
CLO specialist Tim Milton has landed at Silver Rock Financial, it has emerged

S&P acquires ESG rating business from RobecoSam
S&P Global has acquired an ESG ratings business from RobecoSam, according to an announcement. The acquisition includes that of SAM Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA), an evaluation tool.

Imperial hires in credit sales
Imperial Capital has added a senior vice president in its high yield and distressed credit sales group

UK pension Nest selects manager for £500 million global bond allocation
Nest, the largest pension scheme in the UK with over 8 million members, has selected a manager to oversee a £500 million separately managed account focused on global corporate bonds

Creditors left with sour taste as two food companies file for bankruptcy
Credit investors have been left to digest two US food company bankruptcy filings this week, with dairy producer Dean Foods triggering the first credit event to hit on-the-run series 33 of the CDX HY index, while Houlihan's Restaurants has also sought protection