Beneath the triple C: downgrades hold steady as Travelport loses its luggage
For the second month in a row downgrades to triple C steadied, with just under $9 billion of CLO loans falling to this rating across 34 corporate borrowers

BNP Paribas AM collects €576.5 million for second European debt fund
BNP Paribas Asset Management has held a final close on its second European debt fund, BNP Paribas Euro SME Debt Fund II, which provides senior debt to small and medium-sized companies primarily in France, Italy and Belgium

ICG hires two for its European real estate debt platform
Intermediate Capital Group has hired two managing directors to its European real estate debt platform, according to an announcement today

OC health check: US CLOs show improvement as first euro CLOs breach multiple tests
15 deals reported a breach in an overcollateralisation test last week according to the latest reports available on CLO-i, including one European CLO and 14 US broadly syndicated loan CLOs.

BNP Paribas unit holds final close on special opportunities fund of funds
BNP Paribas Capital Partners has held a final close on its European special opportunities fund of debt funds

Fitch takes action on 29 European CLO tranches
Fitch Ratings took action on 29 European CLO tranches yesterday, placing the majority of these on rating watch negative

BNP Paribas AM appoints head of real estate debt after departure
BNP Paribas Asset Management has promoted Christophe Montcerisier to head of real estate debt

BNP Paribas AM hits €345 million on first close of European SME debt fund
BNP Paribas Asset Management has attracted €345 million from 13 investors for its second European debt fund focused on small and medium-sized enterprises, marking the fund’s first close

Managers acquiesce on fees as small UK pensions seek private credit nest egg
Private credit fund managers are rejigging their fee structures in order to attract small UK pension schemes.

BNP Paribas AM set to launch Nest-like private credit offer to UK pensions
French manager BNP Paribas Asset Management is set to launch a diversified private credit fund for smaller UK pension funds over the first half of 2020, similar to the one it structured for the pension scheme Nest  

Euro CLO league tables: refi market opens up to give KKR best of both worlds
European CLO issuance in October crossed €5 billion for the second month this year as managers took advantage of falling spreads and increased demand. In one example, KKR obtained tight senior CLO financing to go with tight mezz spreads from 2017 in a demonstration of expert timing 

UK pension hires BNP Paribas AM for starring role in core-satellite private credit fund
UK pension fund Nest has appointed BNP Paribas Asset Management to run the core of a private credit fund, sources say, in an arrangement which sees Amundi and BlackRock manage certain satellite investments  

BNP Paribas AM refinances 2017 CLO triple As at 65bp
European CLO refi spreads edged tighter today for the second time in as many days as BNP Paribas Asset Management repriced the triple A tranche of its 2017 deal known as BNPP AM Euro 2017

Euro CLO league tables: before the holidays is the best time to price a deal
Over €5 billion of new issue CLOs was priced last month, the first time the market ever crossed that monthly threshold

Global CLO round-up: it's time to rethink benchmarks
The CLO market broke out of holiday mode last week by presenting strong issuance on both sides of the Atlantic - $2.8 billion in the US and €1.6 billion in Europe. High volumes have brought with them bigger shifts in market dynamics. This week put the focus on tightening spreads, as benchmark triple A levels dipped.

European CLO spreads show signs of tightening as BNP Paribas AM prices new issue
BNP Paribas Asset Management returned to the CLO primary market yesterday, issuing its first new deal of the year, named BNPP AM Euro CLO 2019

BNP Paribas AM targets Europe's tightest CLO print since April
BNP Paribas Asset Management is targeting a 111 basis point triple A spread on its forthcoming CLO, according to market sources

BNP Paribas AM hires Robeco investment specialist for quant strategies
BNP Paribas Asset Management has appointed Grégory Taïeb for the newly-created role of investment specialist within the firm’s multi-asset, quantitative and solutions investment group, which includes investments in credit.  

BNP Paribas Wealth appoints head of private equity and private debt investments
The appointment supports what the firm sees as "a significant pick up in clients’ appetite" for the asset classes

BNP Paribas Asset Management hires multi-strategy products head
BNP Paribas Asset Management has created a new position within its fixed income division

BNP Paribas' fund of fund platform holds first close on European mid-market strategy
BNP Paribas Asset Management's fund of fund business is targeting €250 million for a strategy which will allocate to "top tier" European mid market debt managers 

Neuberger Berman picks up fixed income investing team from BNP Paribas AM
Neuberger Berman has bolstered its European fixed income team with the appointment of six professionals from BNP Paribas AM

European CLO round-up: sun shines on Anchorage's quasi-CBO
The European CLO market is at its best when the sun is shining and the sky is blue, judging by the last couple of weeks

BNP Paribas AM prices its first new issue CLO since September 2017
A European CLO manager priced its first new issue CLO of the year yesterday

BNP Paribas AM launches UK SME direct lending fund
The new direct lending fund aims to disrupt a segment of the market that is underserved by asset managers and banks