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

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

Cash-CDS basis set for comeback after "falling knife" mishap, predicts BNP Paribas
The beginning of 2019 should revive interest among credit investors to trade the basis between cash bonds and credit default swaps, according to BNP Paribas strategists – following what they term “falling knife” dynamics in this year’s fourth quarter

Creditex obtains CFTC swap execution facility exemption
Creditex, the electronic brokerage for corporate bonds and credit default swaps, has been granted an exemption from a requirement to register with the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission as a swap execution facility

Crossover converges on CDX HY as Fed, earnings and heavy technicals take hold
Big moves of single name credits continue to hold sway over the iTraxx Europe Crossover credit default swap index, whose underperformance of US counterpart CDX HY has extended during the past week amid a big technical repositioning of flows

Blackstone builds on multi-asset approach with fifth fund
The new vehicle will invest directly into Blackstone deals across its alternatives platform

Credit sell-off has room to run and pricing is out of whack, says BNP Paribas
The credit market sell-off could have further to go despite recent widening and is “in the process of a late-stage business cycle unwind”, according to a strategist note seen by Creditflux

European CDS index tightens inside US even as bonds languish
Credit derivatives markets have hit a key point of trend reversal this week, with the iTraxx Europe five-year CDS index trading inside its US counterpart CDX IG for the first time since May

Machines connect as credit managers’ new best friends
The clamour for credit funds that adhere to environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria means the managers behind these funds are handling ever-larger and deeper data sets. This has led a growing number of fund managers to divert resources into incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning into their investment processes

UBS AM hires PM to infra debt team as it nears final stages of fundraising
UBS Asset Management has recruited portfolio manager Viktor Kozel to its real estate and private markets business. Speficially, he will work within the infrastructure debt team as the firm goes about fundraising for Archmore Infrastructure Debt Platform II  

Ares ups its target for US senior direct lending growth to $4.7 billion
Following $5 billion of inflows into global direct lending in the third quarter, Ares has upped the target for its US direct lending strategy 

Eaton Vance adds former Janus Henderson official as credit portfolio manager
Dónal Kinsella joins as institutional portfolio manager for the firm’s corporate credit strategies

Market rout drives US/Europe credit convergence, as Brazil leads Latin widening
Credit spreads have sharply widened globally as financial markets are being rocked by concerns for a trade war and rising US rates. An equity-led rout in the US yesterday afternoon

Pimco launches latest ESG-focused credit offering
Pimco has launched its latest environmental, social and governance (ESG) fixed income offering - GIS Global Investment Grade Credit ESG Fund.

Tesla CDS hits big bump on largely self-driven woes
Tesla Motors’ five-year credit default swap is at a widest-ever print of 21.3/23.3 points up front going into the week

BlackRock becomes latest manager to explore interval fund structure for credit
Several managers have hit the market with the interval fund structure, as investors look to invest in illiquid strategies through an illiquid fund structure

Loomis Sayles makes global fixed income senior role changes
Kenneth Buntrock, portfolio manager and co-team leader of the global fixed income team will retire in March 2019  

Baker McKenzie adds two global finance partners in London office
Global law firm Baker McKenzie has bolstered its finance team with the addition of two partners in the London office

TwentyFour expands into US with head of US credit appointment in New York
TwentyFour Asset Management has appointed David Norris as head of US credit to lead the firm’s expansion into the US

Managers cash in as investors come calling
Credit management platforms are being viewed as attractive investments, with a slew of acquisitions taking place in recent months — mainly involving private credit operators

Pimco receives nearly $400 million for ESG fixed income mandate
 An $11 billion super fund has awarded a new ESG-focused fixed income mandate to Pimco

Partners Group promotes Layton to co-CEO as Rubeli steps down
Partners Group has announced that David Layton, partner and head of private equity, will succeed Christoph Rubeli as the firm’s co-chief executive officer, effective 1 January 2019

Swedish pension fund's credit portfolio recovers with strong 2018 results
Andra AP-Fonden (AP2), the SEK 352.4 billion ($38.7 billion) state-owned pension fund, generated 5.6% absolute returns from non-domestic credit investments for the first half of 2018

Shetland Islands pension looks to terminate bonds and introduce direct lending
A UK pension fund is looking to terminate its bond mandate and introduce a 12.5% direct lending and 12.5% alternative funds asset allocation, according to board documentation seen by Creditflux

Vanguard plans global credit bond fund launch for US investors
Vanguard’s $1.3 trillion fixed income group is looking towards a US-domiciled global credit bond fund in the fourth quarter this year, following the Ucits version it launched last year