It's a-live! AI platform launch puts US ratings in spotlight
RoboR8, a fintech platform that aims to democratise credit ratings through artificial intelligence, has launched and hopes to rate 50,000 companies by the end of December, before building to several million in 2022.

Tantrum time: investors brace for Fed to taper bond buying
The US Federal Reserve’s likely decision to curb its $120 billion-a-month bond purchase programme is looming as Creditflux goes to press

Credit rallies on Fed and BofE rates signals, but starting gun fires on tapering
Credit and equity markets have responded well to the US Federal Reserve unveiling much anticipated plans to begin tapering asset purchases, while vouching it will stay patient on hiking interest rates. The Bank of England followed this on Thursday by holding its rates at 0.1%

Dispersion trades in play as transatlantic rift opens
The return of idiosyncratic risk at the wide end of US and European high yield markets has put index equity tranches for the two jurisdictions on noticeably divergent paths, say correlation traders

Energy crunch grows as differentiator for EM and western credit
Surging energy prices are adding to the inflationary picture in global economies and point to a mounting crisis that could bring sharply divergent performance for different parts of the credit market

Rental firm accelerates bullish drive despite credit market's heavy braking
Vehicle rental firm Avis Budget and UK retailer Iceland are among rare single name big movers in credit this week, as a tone of caution continues to hold sway over broader directional signals

There's still time to pick up pennies in credit before steamroller arrives: BNP Paribas
Declining dealer inventories, rising fund cash balances, and a greater prevalence of hedging have added up to produce a credit market that is positioned too short, according to BNP Paribas strategists

Zais and BNP Paribas strike ESG breakthrough with climate change CSO
The growing theme of environmental, social and governance standards helping to revitalise the market for collateralised synthetic obligations appears to have taken a big step forward, with Zais Group and BNP Paribas partnering on a first-of-its-kind deal that could lay a template for future transactions

Brookfield hires industry veteran as public securities CIO
Brookfield Asset Management has hired a long-serving credit and equity market professional as chief investment officer for its public securities group

Chemical co beats widening blues as earnings and inflation drive sell-off
Ineos Group leads a small group of tightening credits that are bucking widening pressure in what is turning out to be a negative end to a choppy week

Long duration high yield will overcome short-term rates carnage, says BofA
Bonds with inflation-protected real yield, longer duration, and especially those in the utilities sector are among the most compelling trades amid a phase of ‘policy paranoia’, according to Bank of America credit strategists

Banks soak up selling pressure ahead of key ECB meeting
Banks - and particularly those in Italy and Spain - are among the main underperformers in credit as the market cautiously awaits messaging from this week's meeting of the European Central Bank

Adler spreads return to earth as TUI gains altitude
German real estate company Adler is among stronger performers as credit markets strike an improved tone on Tuesday, while travel company TUI is an outlier to the wide side

Real estate relief boosts high yield but retail rout gathers pace
A mixed week for credit has taken German real estate company Adler back to safer levels while sending two supermarket retailers further into the realms of most risky in the iTraxx Crossover universe

Ashurst boosts structured finance and derivatives practice as it brings in partner
Law firm Ashurst has hired a structured finance and derivatives specialist as a partner in its global markets practice

Sov yield surge finally weighs on IG fund flows, as credit turns corner
Investment grade credit funds have suffered their first net outflow in several months, as the uptick in rates volatility has finally weighed on appetite in this part of the credit spectrum

Compression trade resumes as reverse rally bites on shorts
This week's relief rally gathered momentum in credit and equity markets on Thursday against a further retreat of government bond yields, even as oil prices hit new highs

Casino's hand improves as credit eases off year's wides
Credit markets have taken a turn for the tighter, with spreads broadly rallying, amid a retreat of oil prices and government bond yields

Frosty times for UK retailer as credit hits new wides
Frozen food retailer Iceland is heading into the riskiest reaches of the iTraxx Crossover spread dispersion, where few other constituents tread

Adler rally gains extra LEG as rest of market slips on oil
Few credits have escaped widening pressure in a dour start to the week, but Adler Group has extended its relief rally after agreeing to sell part of its property portfolio

US debt talks and German real estate regain composure after damaging wrangles
Adler Group is ending on a firmer footing what has been a rocky week for the German real estate company, as credit heads into the weekend unmoved by developments in the US on raising the country's debt ceiling

Credit suffers double punch from treasury and energy surge
Credit markets are nursing their wounds after taking a battering on Wednesday, prompted by a surge in oil prices and spike in government bond yields that add to concerns about rising inflation

German real estate co surges tighter on asset sale review
Adler Real Estate is a big improver in European credit at the start of the week, after the company notified investors that Adler Group will initiate a strategic review as it looks to cut leverage

German real estate co hits new wides as single names catch up with index rout
Adler Real Estate is again one of the biggest movers in the European credit market, as the week comes to a bearish close and October begins with heightened uncertainty

Adler resumes downward slide as European real estate woes mount
Market sentiment is weighiing heavily on European real estate once again, with Adler bonds and CDS in particular adding to their recent deterioration