Japanese pension fund Chikyoren seeks private debt managers
Chikyoren, the pension fund allocation for local government officials in Japan, has issued a request for proposal in its search for private debt managers.

Tor more than doubles AUM for Asia credit fund, filings suggest
Hong Kong-headquartered Tor Investment Management has raised nearly $1 billion for its Tor Asia Credit Fund

Texas pension fund earmarks $650 million to four private debt funds
Angelo Gordon, HIG Whitehorse and Värde have secured commitments from the Texas pension fund for their direct lending funds

Sovereign investors' allocation to alternative credit increase rapidly, finds survey
Sovereign investors are increasing their exposure to CLOs, direct lending and bank loans, according to a 2018 Global Sovereign Asset Management Study published by Invesco this week

Japanese pension fund allocation to alternatives reaches record high, survey reveals
The average Japanese institutional investor now allocates 17.1% of their portfolio to alternative assets, according to a JP Morgan Asset Management survey.

Pacific Current acquires stake in Chicago-based private debt manager
Sydney-headquartered Pacific Current Group has acquired a 24.9% stake in Chicago-based Victory Park Capital

Evolving strategy takes Norinchukin close to top spot in CLO investment
Over the years, Nochu has tweaked its cov-lite stipulations, and added mid market and European CLO exposure to its CLO investments. It’s now nearly the market’s biggest investor  

New rules encourage growth in blossoming risk sharing market
Significant risk transfer deals have generally been issued towards the end of the year – but the first quarter of 2018 has opened with a flurry of deals across primary and secondary markets

Standard Chartered plans refocused SRT return
One of the biggest issuers of significant risk transfer (SRT) deals is returning to the market

Aircraft lessors: gathering clouds lead to talk of turbulence
Aircraft leasing companies have been cruising over the past two years as passenger numbers grew, but rising interest rates and trade tariff concerns are making some bondholders nervous

IFM looks set to launch infra debt fund for Korean institutional investors
IFM Investors and KDB KIAMCO are looking to launch their second joint infrastructure debt fund – this time, targeting Korean institutional investors

BlackRock seeks $1 billion for new multi-strat opportunities fund
The new trust will invest at least 80% of its assets in fixed income securities and up to 40% in special situations, SEC filings reveal 

Sydney-based Perpetual launches ethical credit fund
Sydney-headquartered Perpetual Investment Management has today unveiled the launch of an ethical credit fund, to meet investor demand for ethical and socially responsible fixed income assets

AB targets financials with new global credit fund
Global investment manager AB (previously known as AllianceBernstein) has today announced the launch of a new global Ucits credit fund – AB Financial Credit Portfolio

EM manager takes assets across two funds to $1.4 billion after big inflows
Two funds managed by a New York-headquartered firm have reached a combined $1.4 billion after big inflows

Lombard Odier mandates US manager for emerging markets debt fund
Swiss private bank Lombard Odier has selected a Los Angeles-based manager for a new emerging markets debt fund 

Allianz GI brings in new CIO for emerging market debt
Allianz Global Investors has appointed Richard House as chief investment officer emerging market debt, Creditflux understands

Singapore central bank looks to launch infrastructure-backed CLO
The new vehicle was announced by Ravi Menon, managing director at Monetary Authority of Singapore, at the Nomura Investment Forum Asia 2018

Ashurst promotes five debt specialists to partner
Global law firm Ashurst has announced the promotion of 24 to partnership - including Kerion Ball, James Knight, Laura Ho, Tara Waters and Caroline Smart

Aberdeen Standard extends reach into China with new bond fund
The news follows after the firm registered its wholly foreign-owned enterprise Aberdeen Standard Asset Management (Shanghai) at the end of last year

Indonesian property developers: cracks reopen as liquidity dries up
Indonesian developers didn’t fully recover from the 2013 taper tantrum. And now, as development costs and interest payments eat into their capital, they are looking far from stable

Term structure is being developed for floating rate benchmark SOFR, says LSTA
The Secured Overnight Financing Rate, known as SOFR, is being developed into a term structure

Points up front: World Cup simulation shows models don’t work
England as fourth favourites? Pull the other one

Real estate debt set for major growth in the middle east, accordng to report
Real estate private debt is set to see major growth in the middle east over the next five to 10 years, according to joint research by JLL and Clifford Chance

HSBC asset management unit raises $800 million for global multi-manager loan fund
As a multi-manager fund,  the new vehicle aims to offer the benefits of fund-of-funds - diversification - but with a management fee comparable to a single manager