CDX IG and iTraxx back to level pegging as oil and trade weigh heaviest
Credit markets, along with stocks, enter the week on a flattish tone with focus once again on the next developments between the US and China over trade tariffs. This follows European credit faring better than the US last week as the mood strengthened around Italian and UK risks, say strategists

Private debt should alleviate the next downturn, says Paul Hastings
Private debt should soften the next downturn and not exacerbate it, according to a note published by law firm Paul Hastings

PSP's private debt portfolio generates 9.2% return
Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP) has generated a 9.2% one-year rate of return of its private debt portfolio, exceeding its 5.7% benchmark, 

US pension replaces Cliffwater with Meketa
Connecticut Retirement Plans and Trust Funds has selected Meketa as a consultant to oversee its opportunistic investments, which consists of direct lending and opportunistic credit investments, along with investments in hedge funds and real assets.  

Balbec hires senior official to lead European business
Balbec Capital has appointed Vasanth Raj as managing director to lead the its European asset management business

US pensions funds allocate to Lone Star and Raven credit strategies
Two US-based pension schemes have invested in funds with exposure to credit, highlighting the appetite of institutional investors towards off-the-run asset classes.

Loomis Sayles puts together Asia bond fund
Loomis Sayles has added to its credit offering with the launch of its new Asia Bond Plus strategy

Nikko AM garners €144 million for TLAC bond fund
The global total loss-absorbing capacity (TLAC) bond fund will “provide active investors the opportunity to earn a strong premium”

Los Angeles pension fund narrows down global direct lending search to four managers
Los Angeles City Employees Retirement System (Lacers) has listed the finalists for a private credit mandate, according to an agenda document seen by Creditflux.  

Financials lead charge as dovish Fed stokes rally
Financial companies are some of the biggest movers in CDS amid a positive surge of credit and equities. This follows yesterday’s meeting of the US Federal Reserve and anticipates the European Central Bank pre-announcing on Thursday the terms of its lending plans for banks

Trump tariffs and oil slip dent Europe vs US credit decompression trades
Underperformance of US credit derivative indices at the end of last week has created a trading entry point for those still convinced that Europe has more problems. But bearish factors continue to coalesce on both sides of the Atlantic

Credit traders' kickstand: nervous equilibrium gives way to weakness as earnings and tariffs weigh
Healthy fund inflows, European and US holidays, and a thinning primary market helped sustain credit spreads this week, but a weaker turn today shows this is a fragile equilibrium and company earnings misses are starting to be punished more severely

Arrival of five-year bespokes draws in CLO investors
Synthetic bespoke tranches are undergoing a major shift, with dealers projecting five-year business to supersede previously dominant shorter tenors by the end of 2019.

Investors regain nerve to trade the curve
Post-crisis, CDS curve trading languished as an unloved strategy, due to illiquidity outside the five-year tenor. But dealers note resurgent demand for both 3-5 year and 5-10 year positioning, albeit with mixed results.

Bain plans $3 billion distressed fund with US pension fund eyeing commitment
Pennsylvania Public School Employees Retirement System (PSERS) is set to invest $200 million to Bain Capital Distressed and Special Situations 2019 (DSS 19) fund, according to documents seen by Creditflux.  

Credit traders' kickstand: grave times for UK banks and corps as May goes away
UK banks have been among the main underperformers in credit this week, with market sources noting that today’s notice of Prime Minister Theresa May’s intention to resign on 7 June increases the likelihood of a no-deal Brexit. And UK 'zombie' companies appear to be forming a herd

Ohio pension backs GSO's upcoming European direct lending fund
Ohio Police & Fire Pension Fund (OP&F) has approved a $50 million commitment to GSO European Debt Fund II

Goldman Merchant Bank secures $4.4 billion senior debt capital to deploy
Goldman Sachs merchant banking division has closed its latest senior direct lending fund, Broad Street Senior Credit Partners II

Illinois pension backs real estate funds
Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund has earmarked $150 million for commitments to Rockwood Capital Real Estate Partners XI and Blackstone Real Estate Debt Strategies IV.  

Credit traders' kickstand: widening catalysts gather force with focus on financials
Credit markets are once again ending the week on a negative tone, having regained some posture over previous sessions following last week’s tariff-driven sell-off. Credit index spreads appear inclined to trade within a range, but potential catalysts for that range to shift wider outweigh any obvious reasons to return to the tight prints of last month

Northleaf adds newly-created business development role in London
The new hire will lead the Toronto-based firm's business development and investor relations activities across Europe, the Middle East and Africa

Credit traders' kickstand: Trump gives Europe the ghoulies as single B spectres haunt CLOs
Trade tariff terrors and things that go triple C rated in the night are top of the list of items spooking credit market sentiment at the end of this week

Ice seeks consensus with credit risk analytics service
Intercontinental Exchange (Ice) has launched ICE Credit Risk, a suite of analytics it will provide in collaboration with financial risk assessment company Credit Benchmark

Prospect's $500 million CLO fund merges with Stira Alcentra global credit fund
Prospect Capital Management’s $500 million closed-end CLO fund has officially merged with a global credit fund managed by Alcentra and Stira