Louisiana pension commits $150 million to mezzanine and credit opportunities funds
Teachers Retirement System of Louisiana has awarded $150 million to two credit funds managed by Ares Management and Audax Group at its 7 May board meeting, a spokesperson for the pension has confirmed

Sculptor doubles global credit exposure in master fund amid dislocation
Sculptor Capital Management has doubled its global credit exposure in its Master Fund during the covid-19 volatility, according to the firm’s Q1 earnings call

KKR takes covid-19 hit on flagship credit funds and lev fin
KKR took a 16% hit to returns on its alternative credit flagship funds amid the first quarter coronavirus downturn and a 13% loss on leveraged credit, taking these into negative territory for the last 12 months. The firm's private equity portfolio also slumped by 12%

Ares raises $3 billion special situations fund ahead of huge European direct lending launch
Ares Management has witnessed “accelerated fundraising” for its special situations fund, which it has closed at around $3 billion, according to the firm’s earnings calls. The firm also launched its fifth European direct lending fund this week, which Ares expects could be “the largest private comingled fund in its history”

On-site due diligence rules pose fundraising challenge
Stipulations in some fund limited partner bylaws dictating strict due diligence could pose a challenge for asset managers, sources say

Credit Rendezvous: recovery begins, but is it U, V or even W?
Investing in credit is not as easy as ABC. The coronavirus crisis has crushed valuations and although most assets will eventually pull to par, no one is sure how the recovery will pan out

Longview Power turns to coal for handful of CLOs
CLOs hold $43.9 million of the debt of US power company LongView Power, which filed for Chapter 11 in the District of Delaware yesterday

Frontier bankruptcy dials up pressure for 90 CLOs
Nine CLO managers hold $217 million of Frontier Communications’ debt across 90 CLOs, as the telecommunications company filed for Chapter 11 protection in the US Bankruptcy Court Southern District of New York

US pension delays restructuring fixed income portfolio over coronavirus concerns
Fresno County Employees’ Retirement Association has delayed plans to restructure its fixed income portfolio due to coronavirus concerns, according to board documentation

Three CLO investors win mandates from US insurer
New York State Insurance Fund has selected 11 credit managers to invest around $1 billion across corporate loans, high yield bonds and CLO tranches, according to documentation seen by Creditflux. Three  of these mandates are geared towards CLOs 

Investors pull $10.9 billion out of corporate IG ETFs in one week
Outflows from loan and high yield bond exchange traded funds have exacerbated the liquidity pressure facing credit investors, sources say, as market volatility intensifies after economists slashed global forecasts

Ares hires head of ESG from Partners Group
Ares Management Corporation has appointed a head for its environmental, social and governance (ESG) practice, effective from April  

PE firms look to go it alone as credit units reach maturity
Private equity firms are starting to weigh up the merits of housing private debt businesses, with TPG Capital the latest to contemplate splitting with its credit business TPG Sixth Street. It follows EQT Capital, which announced a strategic review in January centred on parting ways with its credit unit.

Apollo ups stake in Athene to 35% through stock deal
Apollo Global Management is doubling its stake in Athene Holding to around 35% by exchanging $1.2 billion of common equity and buying $350 million extra of Athene stock

Massachusetts pension commits $200 million to structured and corporate credit
Massachusetts Pension Reserves Investment Trust has approved commitments with CKC Credit Opportunity and LMCG Serenitas  

Loomis Sayles loses out as US pension shifts to higher-quality credit
Dallas Police and Fire Pension System is liquidating a loan portfolio managed by Loomis Sayles, as it reallocates assets away from high yield towards investment grade

Hamilton Lane limits uncalled commitments with private market fund
Hamilton Lane has launched a private assets fund, in a strategy that will "seek to limit the exposure of uncalled commitments and shorten the duration of expected cash flows relative to a traditional portfolio”

Kissick and make up: Ares replaces board member
Ares Management has appointe a replacement to its board of directors as retired Ares co-founder John Kissick steps down

Credit Rendezvous: the outlook in 2020 across a dozen segments of the credit market
Welcome to the Credit Rendezvous, the first instalment of a regular feature published by Creditflux that tracks credit market dynamics in a dozen segments from investment grade, liquid loans, CLOs and CSOs all the way through to distressed debt. We view this as the meeting point for credit specialists across strategies to share their perspectives

California pension looks to cut liquid credit allocations
Fresno County Employees’ Retirement Association will likely cut back on liquid credit and completely remove hedge fund allocations in 2020.. But the pension is optimistic about core bonds – and may include it as a new asset class

Pimco plans to outperform come rain or shine with $4.5bn all-weather fund
Pimco has become the latest manager to fashion a flexible, all weather credit fund that invests across public and private markets, geographies and capital structures. The Newport Beach-based manager is hoping to raise $3 billion for the strategy. With half a turn of leverage, it could have up to $4.5 billion to deploy.

Job opportunities with BNY Mellon: corporate trust group
BNY Mellon has released details of six vacancies

BlueBay hires senior credit trader in the US
BlueBay Asset Management has appointed a senior credit trader in the US

Pimco launches listed multi-sector global credit fund
Known as Pimco Tactical Income Fund, the fund will invest in a range of global credit strategies and will list on the New York Stock Exchange