Tariffs will push up default rates for several years, say agencies and managers
After an uptick in leveraged loan defaults culled weaker credits in 2024, many expected default rates to fall in 2025. But the uncertainty stemming from the Trump administration’s tariffs means those assumptions are now under threat

A&O Shearman exits continue with two partners jumping to Proskauer
Leveraged finance partners Alexandra de Padua and Frank Oliver join Proskauer’s global finance practice in New York

US CLO and leveraged loan market roiled by dramatic Trump tariffs
ANALYSIS: Leveraged loans and CLO fell lower in the aftermath's of President Donald Trump's new tariffs 

Peraton taps Guggenheim, lenders organize with Davis Polk on DOGE worries
DEBTWIRE EXCLUSIVE: Lenders of Peraton, which has USD 6.145bn loan maturity in 2028, are preparing to take FA ptiches as company is reliant on federal contracts, and faces downgrade risk  

Octaura launches new protocol for CLO liquidations
Electronic loan trading platform Octaura has released a new set of processes to streamline loan BWICs and OWICs

JetBlue's new loan struggles to take flight
CLO managers had less appetite for JetBlue’s new loan after the airline was downgraded to B3 and B- 

Strong run helps CLOs shrug off Altice downgrade
It may be the largest triple C downgrade in years, but the CLO market is relatively unperturbed by Altice’s fall from grace.

CLO managers laud market’s shift away from direct lending
This year’s annual SFVegas shindig had a record 8,900 registered delegates, and every CLO panel included a discussion of two key themes, including the highly publicised fight between the broadly syndicated loan space and private credit lenders.

Hayfin appoints new US CLO head
Hayfin Capital Management has announced it has recruited Peter Swanson to head its High-Yield and Syndicated Loans team in New York

US CLO credit Air Methods Corporation files for bankruptcy
Air Methods Corporation, a widely held name in the US CLO market, filed for Chapter 11 this morning reporting USD 1bn to USD 10bn in liabilities.

Securities regulators call for improvement in practices in CLO market
IOSCO, an international policy forum for securities regulators, has called for improvement in practices in both the leveraged loan and CLO markets.

LSTA hires new director of policy research
The Loan Syndications and Trading Association has appointed a new director of policy research

CLO double Bs offer 700bp premium versus high yield bonds, says Oaktree
The yield premium offered by double B CLO paper compared to corporate high yield bonds with the same rating has exploded to 700 basis points, according to a new episode of Oaktree Capital Management's podcast series The Insight

Columbia names new loan and CLO head as Howard announces retirement
Columbia Threadneedle Investments has appointed the next head of its US bank loan team after current head Jerry Howard announced his retirement effective in January next year

Recent US bankruptcies show non-DIP lenders wiped out
A trio of recent US bankruptcies is testing the CLO market's recovery assumptions, according to Debtwire’s Restructuring Database of recent court filings.

Slow pace of loan prepayments increasing CLO tranche WAL, finds Barclays
Prepayment rates in the leveraged loan market have dropped to post-financial crisis lows, thereby increasing CLO debt tranches' weighted average life and slowing the pace of amortization for deals that have left reinvestment, according to new research published by Barclays

Jump in loan prices sees CLO primary stall in the US
US CLO primary supply almost ground to a halt in June with just three transactions printing in the first half of the month

Leveraged loan market shrinks as CLO trading grows
A lack of primary issuance has caused the leveraged loan market to shrink this year for the first time since the aftermath of the global financial crisis, according to market sources.

Do amend and extends now before big chunk of CLOs exit reinvestment, says BofA
Research analysts at Bank of America are recommending CLO managers complete amend and extend activity before a wave of transactions exit their reinvestment periods later in the year

34% of CLOs rated by Fitch out of reinvestment
34% of the CLOs rated by Fitch Ratings have left their reinvestment periods including six deals that exited in May, the rating agency said in a note to clients on Thursday

Student loans emerge as headwind for loan market, says BofA
American graduates are poised to resume student loan repayments in August, and new research from Bank of America suggests the change could be a headwind for the loan market due to weaker consumer demand.

Octaura launches loan market's 'first comprehensive trading platform'
Octaura, the fintech startup offering electronic trading for loans and CLOs, today announced the launch of its comprehensive syndicated loan trading platform that it says is the first on offer for the market

CLO market finds feet again after ‘miniature credit crunch’ blows up spreads in March
Markets were rocked by what some observers have called a “miniature credit crunch” in March, with disruption beginning with the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and ending with UBS’s takeover of Credit Suisse.

Defaults rise yet fears of low recoveries hurt even more
Defaults and Chapter 11 filings are picking up this year amid tougher economic conditions for borrowers

Antares adds to new syndicated loans unit with portfolio manager hire from Apex
Antares Capital has hired Andrew Stern as managing director and portfolio manager responsible for liquid credit