Global issuance falls 22% QoQ and 12% YoY amid tech selloff and geopolitical insecurity – 1Q26 Loan Highlights
Loan issuance in the Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific (APAC) regions reached USD 1.37tn in 1Q26, according to Debtwire data; this volume was 22% down compared to the previous quarter and 12% below 1Q25

Investors push rebound in quality software credits
Credit markets are sanguine in the face of geopolitical and macro-economic disruptions, as investors shrug off the possibility that a prolonged war in the Middle East will send energy prices soaring and global economies tumbling into recession

Scale trumps fear but 1Q26 M&A volume obscures sponsor frustration – Dealspeak EMEA
1Q26 M&A volume EUR 332.1bn, up 38% year-on-year, but volume of deals below EUR 1bn fell 25% YoY in March; key themes include AI fallout, GPs’ tech woes and sector rotation

M&A volume leap 20% to USD 1.38tn in first quarter of 2026
Even the Iran conflict has not arrested momentum among larger deals. A mammoth USD 122bn capital raise from OpenAI closed on the last day of the quarter, according to Mergermarket data

Iran conflict weighs on primary but cross-border European loan deal flow continues
Europe Loan Digest: Electronic Arts prices euro-dollar loan; Grifols launches refi

AI blockbuster deals surge as Middle East conflict test dealmaker confidence
Mergermarkets M&A Highlights 1Q26: Global M&A volume jumped 22% to the second highest start ever

Investors scrutinise AI disruption and opportunities in the European loan market
Lower EV, high leverage elevate credit risk and refi challenges; AI-driven sell-off creates selective buy opportunities

Loan market sell-off set to widen, Sealed Air enters primary despite expected issuance slowdown – Europe Loan Digest
Electronic Arts to price today; strong CLO bid protects prices from macro volatility

EQT, Advent, Cinven embrace deal flexibility as hedge against Middle East chaos
ECM Pulse:Optionality trumps predictions in chasing LP returns; uncertainty dogs IPO prospects as bid-ask gap remains

First Brands secures final mediation extension to advance case resolution talks, judge warns against further delays
Judge approves extension of FBG case resolution mediation with Judge Isgur through 27 March; likely the final extension for case resolution talks

EU insolvency law harmonisation campaign marches on with new directive
LEGAL ANALYSIS: European Parliament signs off new ‘harmonisation’ directive: Relates to five areas, including avoidance actions and ‘pre-packs’

ABS primary braves geopolitical uncertainty as spreads start to feel pressure – European ABS Weekly Digest
The European ABS primary market mostly shunned geopolitical risk this week as seven deals priced, two of which were pre-placed

AI’s potential may be underestimated despite investing concerns – Howard Marks
AI’s potential is likely underestimated, but worries about job losses and an AI investment bubble persist, said Oaktree co-founder Howard Marks in a new memo

Raistone enters Chapter 7 to liquidate following major customer First Brands’ collapse into Chapter 11
Raistone provided factoring services to First Brands, its largest revenue source; First Brands faces fraud allegations, with Raistone having significant unsecured credit exposure

Schroders, InPost deals boost 2026 takeover pipeline by EUR 19bn
InPost agrees EUR 7.8bn deal with Advent, FedEx; modest premium for Schroders may open for rivals

Group.ONE TLB and Cision loan fall on continued AI selloff
Market Comment: Software leveraged loans are under pressure on continued AI fears

Software private credit names face refinancing risks amid AI fears – KBRA
ANALYSIS: The ratings agency also noted that software exposure alone is not a risk to BDCs, private credit CLOs and direct lending portfolios

Retail and consumer credits show weaker fundamentals – BlackRock co-head of leveraged finance Mitch Garfin
PODCAST: There are opportunities in the market, according to Mitch Garfin, co-head of leveraged finance at BlackRock – but consumer and retail-oriented sectors are under pressure 

London leveraged finance leaders turn out for melanoma fight
The British Museum played host to the second edition of Leveraged Finance Fights Melanoma (LFFM) London on Wednesday evening, with some 700 attendees from 90 firms across the leveraged finance and private equity helping raise over GBP 1.6m for melanoma research

Loan market steams ahead with new launches as more deals line up in Europe
Flex-downs abound, but Hologic’s sub-300bps spread raises eyebrows, while performance in focus for Archroma, Seqens and Lipton Tea

Repricings comprise half of European levloans’ record year, new money drops to lowest level since GFC
The European leveraged loan market reached its highest yearly issuance volume ever in 2025, according to Debtwire data, driven by repricings

Investors scrutinise ABF managers' collateral diligence standards
Investors are keeping a close eye on how private credit managers lending against collateral are conducting diligence on those underlying assets, following prominent bankruptcies that have spotlighted the risk of lending against assets

US regulators walk back post GFC leveraged lending restrictions
The OCC and FDIC now say the guidance was overly restrictive and that banks should rely on general risk management principles to manage their leveraged lending activity

First Brands’ disputes raise alarming concerns that all SPV lenders should be watching – Legal Analysis
SPV lenders face potential risks, including substantive consolidation and collateral devaluation

LME litigation in Europe in focus as Hunkemöller and Selecta bondholders fight back
ANALYSIS: Selecta sees use of creditor cooperation agreement challenged as anticompetitive in court; More LMEs and litigation expected in Europe next year and beyond