Smaller issuers default at more than twice the rate of their mid-sized peers – Fitch
Issuers with EBITDA below USD 25m saw a 9.3% default rate in the 12 months to the end of 2Q25

First Brands Bankruptcy: financial tune up raised red flags that Wall Street overlooked
First Brands files for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection; Stakeholders anticipate significant discovery into company's practices

A Texas pension discloses investment in CLO equity fund
Texas Municipal Retirement System commits USD 775m in Q2 2025, including investment in OHA's CLO equity fund

CFA warns of conflicts of interest in continuation funds
The growing popularity of continuation funds has raised questions around manager processes, the CFA Institute said

Carlyle nabs head of direct lending origination from Golub
EXCLUSIVE: The firm also hired a second managing director focused on originations as it re-staffs its direct lending franchise

Connecticut, Wisconsin pensions invest in Sixth Street's private credit funds
Sixth Street funds secure commitments from Connecticut, Wisconsin, and Ventura County pensions, while a Texas pension allocates funds to a Silver Point CLO fund

CalPERS, LACERS among pensions disclosing recent private credit investments
CalPERS invests USD 1bn in climate-focused private credit fund by Goldman Sachs, while LACERS commits USD 170m to TPG Twin Brook, Sixth Street funds

Rush to exit bankruptcy pushes more companies to file a second time
Four companies file for second time in 2025, up from one last year; Poor prognosis for Chapter 22 filers, with high liquidation rates  

Alaska, Pennsylvania among pensions disclosing recent private credit investments
Alaska retirement system reveals over USD 400m in private credit investments and Pennsylvania and Texas pensions make new commitments to European private credit funds, while Maine PERS commits to another new TPG Twin Brook fund

Park Square launches dedicated US private credit strategy
EXCLUSIVE: The London-based private credit manager is aiming to raise USD 500m to USD 750m for the debut fund

Bow River Capital acquires asset-based lending firm
The acquisition will add a 12-person team and a strategy focused on providing private, asset-based loans to companies in the lower middle market

Policy changes push endowments toward private credit evergreen funds - Cerulli
EXCLUSIVE: Endowments, the fastest growing institutional investor group in the US, are grappling with increased liquidity needs

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

Direct lending competition erases refinancing premium
Historically, new LBOs resulted in cheaper pricing, but spreads for refinancing and recapitalization deals have tightened as direct lenders face a lack of deployment opportunities

Private credit inflows face uphill battle even as 401(k) doors open
Although US President Trump’s executive order opens defined contribution retirement plans like 401(k)s to private credit investments, a sudden and meaningful rise in inflows is unlikely 

Presidential order opens private credit access to US retirement investors
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to repeal a regulation that forbids certain US retirement accounts like 401(k)s from adding alternative assets such as private debt

NYS Common Retirement Fund to invest USD 100m in Pearl Diver's distressed CLO fund
Public Pensions, Private Pursuits: New York State, Ohio pensions reveal recent private credit investments 

Capital Four raises around USD 120m for first global captive CLO equity fund
EXCLUSIVE: The firm has held a first close for its latest CLO equity fund, which will fund the firm’s future CLOs in both the US and Europe

Private credit managers find “white space” even as capital concentrates among the few – Mercer
Institutional investors commit most of their capital to established private credit firms of scale, but they’re often more willing to take a chance on newcomers in strategies outside of direct lending

Connecticut Retirement Plans and Trust Funds plans to commit additional USD 300m to Crescent Capital
Connecticut, Maine among pensions with recent expansions in private credit; Maine, Texas, Los Angeles pensions also disclose recent private credit investments

Blue Owl, Voya partner to bring private assets to US retirement accounts
The new private market products will be offered on Voya’s retirement platform, which oversees USD 630bn in defined contribution assets for more than 9m plan participants

Seven managers make up 90% of private credit fundraising – Morningstar
Over the last five years, Apollo alone accounted for 29% of all capital raised for private credit

Investcorp passes halfway mark on second GP stakes fund
EXCLUSIVE: USD 600m raised to date against USD 1bn target of a strategy that was launched in 2019 and focuses on mid-market

Default expectations rise as tariff threats to North America deepen – IACPM survey
Credit portfolio managers across the world see tariff-related headwinds for both the US and Canada

PGIM shakes up credit platforms in major reorganization
The reorganization eliminates the separation between PGIM Private Capital and PGIM Fixed Income. The insurer-led firm appointed a single head of public and private fixed income