New Mexico allocates $175 million to credit
New Mexico State Investment Council has awarded a $75 million commitment to real estate debt and $100 million commitment to a multi-credit fund

Ellington hires London-based loan PM to build European CLO platform
The US-headquartered manager has hired a London-based portfolio manager specialising in European corporate credit with a view to building a European CLO platform, according to a person familiar with the matter

US pension commits $100 million to Apollo's hybrid private credit/private equity fund
Pennsylvania State Employees’ Retirement System has mandated $100 million to a multi-strategy fund managed by New York-based Apollo Global Management

Akin Gump bolsters financial restructuring debt team with four partners
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld has bolstered its financial restructuring and global debt finance team with a new Connecticut office and the addition of four partners

Blackstone grows credit assets by 31% over year
The firm achieved strong fundraising in credit, taking credit-related assets under managment to $130.6 billion in the third quarter, a 31% increase year-on-year 

LSTA asks for return of CLO bond buckets as part of Volcker reform
The Loan Syndication and Trading Association is advocating the return of high yield bond baskets within US CLO portfolios in what could be another sign of the shackles being loosened on CLO regulation in the US

KSL holds $671 million close for second travel and leisure credit fund
KSL Capital Partners has held a final close for its second credit fund with $671 million in capital commitments

Derivatives margin threshold should be €100 billion notional not €8 billion, says Isda
A regulatory threshold that requires counterparties to post initial margin (IM) on derivatives trades if they hold €8 billion notional or more exposure should be raised to €100 billion, the International Swaps and Derivatives Association has argued

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

Global CLO round-up: what goes around comes around
It is no news that spreads are reverting back to the elevated levels of last year and, with each new deal pushing the market wider, the rolling three-month term curve in the US has been forced to stretch and move left, right and centre.

Silverpeak looks to put together listed CLO equity fund
Silverpeak's CLO-focused fund will primarily invest in CLO equity and be listed on the New York Stock Exchange

Isda transfers credit determinations secretary role to subsidiary
The International Swaps and Derivatives Association has relinquished its role as secretary to the credit derivatives determinations committees (DCs) with the appointment of a new unit, DC Administration Services (DCAS), to manage this function

GoldenTree adds partner to its structured credit team in London
GoldenTree Asset Management has made a big hire to its London office with a structured credit specialist joining as partner

Isda extends deadline for derivatives benchmark consultation
The International Swaps and Derivatives Association has extended the fast-approaching deadline for its consultation on derivatives benchmark fallbacks, to allow more time for responses

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

Halcyon rebrands to Bardin Hill, names new CEO and sells minority stakes to TSSP and Dyal
Halcyon Capital Management has rebranded its platform to Bardin Hill Investment Partners and has announced a new leadership structure following the retirement of John Bader who served as chief executive officer

Global CLO league tables at a glance - September 2018
A snapshot of the overall league tables as of 30 September

ArrowMark builds in London with big SRT hire
ArrowMark is one of the biggest investors in the SRT market, but unusually it conducts most of its business out of the US. It has now added to its presence in London with an experienced official joining its SRT business

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.

Isda and Linklaters roll out test version of initial margin docs service
Five and a half months of partnership between the International Swaps and Derivatives Association and Linklaters has borne fruit, with the launch of a test version of an online tool that will allow firms to electronically negotiate and execute initial margin (IM) documentation

New issues keep managers busy in summer season
New issue loans made up 74.1% of volumes in August, supporting US CLO managers looking to ramp up. Spreads tightened to 368bp, but managers can’t complain — it’s much better than in Q1

Finding a way around the regulator’s web
In Europe, direct lending funds are usually caught in the complex web of requirements spun by national regulators. But unregulated funds can sidestep many rules and be launched more quickly

Updated, upgraded and ready to launch
Whether it’s a software update or a full-blown upgrade to a newer model, CLO technology is advancing fast, with Be-Spoke and Ellington the latest to launch new types of securitisations

Time to reprice? Then compare the market
CLOs no longer fizzle out. Instead, they go through multiple repricings, where, with stakes lower and deadlines tighter than when they were issued, their managers can try alternative arrangers

Axiom puts tranches at core of push into synthetic credit
Axiom Alternative Investments is set to target both index and bespoke tranches with the launch of Axiom Synthetic Credit Opportunity Fund.