The Italian connection
As Octagon and Conning come under the umbrella of large Italian insurer Generali, we spoke to the firms’ CEOs about their expectations for credit in general and their firms in particular

Updated, upgraded and ready to launch
Whether it’s a software update or a full-blown upgrade to a newer model, CLO technology is advancing fast, with Be-Spoke and Ellington the latest to launch new types of securitisations

A model of corporate behaviour
Haejun Jeon and Michi Nishihara propose a credit risk model based on a borrower's option to invest. It helps explain the small gap between high yield and investment grade spreads

Fine-tuning the momentum signal
Daniel Haesen, Patrick Houweling and Jeroen van Zundert describe an approach that slashes volatility and improves returns in momentum strategies for corporate bonds

Making a case for pre-funded bonds
They may not be commonly issued but collateralised coupon bonds should be more attractive to investors than zero coupon bonds

Re-thinking recovery
Loss-given-default presents an even bigger modelling challenge than default probability. A re-sampling casts light on the best approach

Symphony’s unfinished business
West Coast alternatives manager Symphony Asset Management was early in creating a full blown credit business. Now it’s ready to build on its track record

Pricing counterparty risk
In the first of our series of articles exploring technical aspects of the credit markets,
Eduardo Canabarro examines models for pricing credit valuation adjustment, or CVA

Brokers: Welcome to the new Street
Wall Street and Canary Wharf are dead. Full-service investment banks are broken. And credit sales people are flocking to a new tier of firms. Laura Jones meets the key players. Rarely has a great industry declined so fast. It was not just the demise of Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers last year that marked the end of a particular age for the financial markets. It was also the dramatic fall in risk appetite at the remaining "bulge-bracket" firms and the wholesale exodus of staff.

Intermediate Capital Group
Intermediate Capital Group

Seeking alpha high and low
Swiss manager Alpstar is looking to capitaliseon sharp falls in valuations as distress deepens,particularly in leveraged credit. But it sees plenty of undervalued assets too.

End view: Prospecting for CDO value
End view: Prospecting for CDO value