Performing credit tops distressed credit for Blackstone, but credit AUM declines
The firm is looking to boost its direct lending business to gain $10 billion of available capital over the next couple of years

Lazard appoints co-heads of sustainable investment and ESG
Lazard Asset Management has appointed co-heads of sustainable investment and ESG across both sides of the Atlantic 

Cairn Capital hires portfolio manager for CLO investments
Cairn Capital has hired a portfolio manager with sell-side and ratings agency experience to be responsible for CLO tranche investments

Värde names co-deputy CIO and two partners
Värde Partners has announced the promotion of its global head of private debt, transportation and energy to deputy chief investment officer 

NN hires head of fixed income and responsible investing
NN Investment Partners (NN IP), a Dutch insurer and investment manager, has appointed a head of fixed income and responsible investing

Robeco looks to align macro fixed income with credit as it makes senior hire
Robeco has hired Jamie Stuttard as co-head of the global fixed income macro team and fixed income strategist  

JP Morgan makes big hire to its global credit trading desk
An experienced banker who has covered CLOs, CSOs, loan TRS and credit derivatives, has joined JP Morgan after leaving BNP Paribas 

Muzinich poaches Neuberger Berman MD for top fund distribution role
Muzinich has hired a global head of distribution, according to an announcement today, picking up the role previously held by Joshua Hughes, who left for CIFC Asset Management in May

Former London Stock Exchange CEO joins CQS
CQS has moved into 2019 under a new leadership structure with Xavier Rolet being appointed chief executive officer.

I liked it when banks could hold risk and actually had inventory to shift
Louis Gargour, CIO of LNG Capital, takes our credit quiz

Loan volumes fall in Europe but rise in US
European CLO managers seem to be eating into the loan market with more appetite than their, US counterparts, who are perhaps spoiled for choice. But background risks lurk in both markets

US regulation drives insurance money towards credit ETFs
Institutional investors are increasingly allocating to credit exchange-traded funds (ETFs), but their motivations are changing. These vehicles are famed for their liquidity, but several investors are said to be pouring money into them for the long term amid regulatory changes which have made ETF investments more favourable

LMA seeks no-deal Brexit safety net for European lending
European regulators have voiced concerns about the potential damage a no-deal Brexit scenario would do to the syndicated loan market and the wider European Union economy

Derivatives market jumps forward on Ibor fallbacks
The derivatives market has moved closer to a consensus on how to replace interbank offered rates (Ibors) in contracts, with the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (Isda) finding that most market participants favour a retrospective rather than forward-looking approach for benchmark fallbacks

Finding the hidden value in success
Learning from one’s mistakes is often cited as key to professional development. However, widening this perspective and paying attention to things that go well can further improve performance

GSO co-founder plans new credit business
GSO Capital Partners co-founder Tripp Smith is launching his own credit management firm, according to a report by Bloomberg

Spanish bank prices €972 million SRT with triple As paying 31bp
Cajamar Caja Rural, based in southern Spain, has priced a €972.1 million significant risk transfer (SRT), according to market sources

European CLO volumes to drop in 2019, but mezz could benefit, says BNP Paribas
Demand for European leveraged loans will be lower in 2019 due to lower CLO issuance, predicts BNP Paribas

Cairn sheds light on single-investment SRT fund
Fresh details have emerged on Cairn Capital’s new significant risk transfer (SRT) funds with the manager informing Creditflux that Pathfinder Fund III was structured such with US requirements in mind

Singapore fund to lend to financial institutions in emerging and developing markets
Singapore’s EFA Group is aiming to raise $100 million for a fund that will lend to banks and financial institutions in emerging and developing economies

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

Cairn adds two SRT funds to its roster
Cairn Capital has raised $150 million across two significant risk transfer (SRT) funds - with differing mandates - according to an announcement by the firm

Neuberger Berman unveils three European fixed income funds
The three new European fixed income portfolios will be managed by Patrick Barbe and his six-strong team, who all recently joined from BNP Paribas

Deutsche Bank refinances CLO backed with trade finance assets
Deutsche Bank has brought a $3.5 billion CLO backed by trade finance that includes a first-loss piece issued at par

BlueBay names new CIO
BlueBay Asset Management has replaced its chief investment officer, with the incumbent moving internally to take on a newly created position as head of multi-asset credit