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.

Paris-based monoline CIFG
Paris-based monoline CIFG

‘Disciplined underwriting and restraint pays off'
Steven Kahn is managing director of collateralised debt obligations at financial guaranty company Financial Security Assurance. FSA is wholly owned by Dexia, a top 20 Euroland bank. Headquartered in New York, FSA’s insured portfolio totals more than $400 billion across municipal bonds and ABS.

Goldman plans investment grade managed synthetic
Goldman plans investment grade managed synthetic

FBR eyes mortgage opportunities with first quarter launch
FBR eyes mortgage opportunities with first quarter launch

Looking for the local angle
After a year of double digit growth, investors in emerging markets local currency debt will have to work harder for returns

Singapore manager markets Asian deal
Singapore manager markets Asian deal

Synthetic collateral has hidden risk
Synthetic CDO investors have credit exposure to monoline insurers that they may be unware of because of the nature of the “cash” collateral used in many synthetic deals, according to structured credit specialists

CDO arranger slashes staff
Asset manager Fortis Investments has cut its US-based structured credit business from 24 to 10 full-time employees

Liquidation triggers drive CDO trading
Liquidation triggers drive CDO trading

Terminus at the end of the road
Terminus at the end of the road

Paris-based fund manager Tikehau joins race for distressed assets
Tikehau Investment Management, the Paris-based fixed income fund manager set up late last year by the former head of Merrill Lynch in France, Bruno de Pampelonne, has raised €100 million for a new fund specialising in distressed credit

Emerging markets specialist plans launches
Emerging markets specialist plans launches

Deutsche taps credit opportunity fund
GoldenTree Credit Opportunities has issued a further $250 million of class A1 term notes rated Aaa/AAA (M/S) and raised $187.5 million of additional equity

Bank's US arm undergoes further credit shake up
Royal Bank of Scotland has lost Jay Levine, US-based CEO of the banking and markets division that includes RBS Greenwich Capital.

Paulson sparks CDX tightening
Paulson's plan to bailout borrowers helps credit indices.

Standard Chartered completes SIV vertical swap
Standard Chartered completes SIV vertical swap

Portfolio manager departs investment firm
Portfolio manager departs investment firm

Wachovia says monolines will strive to maintain current ratings
A one to one downgrade is not likely to occur for monolines, say analysts at Wachovia.