Evolving M&A is transforming the capital formation landscape – KKR
'Critical' link between M&A and credit is set to fuel growth in private markets

JPMorgan credit research team pitches top trades at levfin conference, strategists recommend overweight BBs
Buy opportunities in AT1 debt, periphery banks, Ardagh Metal, Altice France, Ithaca; Sell ideas on Guala Closures, Nissan, Nomad Foods, Hapag Lloyd
 

Corporate default rates predicted to fall despite tariff uncertainty - S&P
Speculative-grade corporate default rates expected to fall on both sides of the Atlantic as trade tension uncertainty eases, but some concerns remain

Pimco urges caution in credit markets despite recent resilience
The resilience of the private sector has supported the credit market in the first half of the year, despite “whipsawing” market volatility, a new report from Pimco has found. 

Volatility could cause credit markets to break this year – TCW’s Bryan Whalen
PODCAST: Investors aren’t being paid enough of a premium for the risks in US corporate credit, TCW’s chief investment officer of fixed income told Creditflux’s Lisa Lee on the latest ‘Credit Exchange’ podcast  

Buyout Highlights - Overview of Europe Buyout and Financing Trends 1Q25
Leveraged loans are again the main source of financing for LBOs in Europe, providing 65% of the total volume issued in 1Q25  

Private credit’s golden era never really ended – Blackstone’s Michael Zawadzki
On the Credit Exchange podcast, Lisa Lee speaks with the CIO of Blackstone Credit and Insurance about opportunities in volatile markets and the durability of private credit premiums

Investing in Europe has changed dramatically in past weeks – Apollo’s Tristram Leach
PODCAST: We're on the cusp of profound change in Europe, observes Apollo's co-head of European credit, in the latest edition of the 'Credit Exchange' podcast  

ICG hires Sixth Street alum Grandjean for pan-European private credit
ICG has hired Pierre Grandjean, who most recently was at Sixth Street in specialty lending, to join its European direct lending team, Senior Debt Partners

Fund performance
Entering the final three months of the year, CLO funds took a clean sweep of the top 10 spots in the Creditflux tables. October was strong overall, as over 85% of funds listed made positive returns

Altice France reminds creditors that unrestricted subsidiaries can be freely spun-off
Altice France's debt documents permit the XpFibre spin-off, and most credit agreements and high yield bond indentures permit the distribution of the equity in unrestricted subsidiaries

BNP Paribas announces negotiations to buy AXA IM
BNP Paribas said it entered exclusive talks to buy AXA's asset management unit and set-up a partership for EUR 5.1bn

Credit hedge funds
Credit hedge fund performance

IACPM survey finds credit PMs still gloomy, but less so than last quarter
Respondents to the latest IACPM Credit Outlook Survey are still negative about future credit conditions, but less so than in previous surveys

Global Loan Highlights 1Q24: Don’t call it a comeback
Loan refinancing share hits historic high, but IG issuance stymies YoY global growth

Schroders Capital adds new global head of business development and product
Schroders Capital turned to ICG to source its newly-created role of global head of business development and product

Global corporate defaults on fastest pace since 2009 according to S&P
The number of corporate defaults has risen dramatically year-to-date, according to S&P Global Ratings, driven by a doubling of the rate of defaults in Europe

Credit hedge funds
Credit hedge funds

Credit funds at a glance
Credit funds at a glance

Wave of legal hires becomes a tsunami
In February alone legal heavyweights Allen & Overy, DLA Piper, Fried Frank, Kirkland & Ellis, Proskauer Rose and White & Case all announced the arrival of partners in the credit space

European Union rolls out ELTIF 2.0 structure
The European Union’s latest regulations for its long-term investment funds — known as ELTIF 2.0 — went into effect on 10 January, ousting the old model to make it easier for both alternative investment managers and retail investors alike to tap into the market

Credit hedge funds
Credit hedge fund performance

Credit funds at a glance
Credit funds at a glance

Kirkland & Ellis poaches partner from Macfarlanes in London
New UK-based partner's practice focuses on structuring alternative investment funds, specifically credit funds

Connecticut Retirement Plans and Trust Funds commits more than USD 600m to credit manager
Connecticut Retirement Plans and Trust Funds has allocated approximately USD 625m to pension funds in the state's private credit portfolio