European direct lender seeks €2.5 billion for new Luxembourg-based debt fund
London-based direct lender Pemberton is launching a new debt fund that will invest in mid-market European companies, Creditflux has learned

AUM drops but Oaktree dubs 2017 a "strong" year
Alternative investment specialist Oaktree Capital Management has reported a slight decrease in assets under management for the year of 2017 – but the Los Angeles-based firm’s chief executive described the year as a “strong” one for the company

Energy PE firm Orion closes second credit opps fund at $816 million
Orion Energy Partners, a private equity firm providing capital solutions to mid-market energy infrastructure businesses, has closed its second credit opportunity fund at $816 million

Patrimonium's Heine reveals what it takes to be a direct lender in Germany
Europe’s middle market lending community this week heard just how gruelling a job it is to source deals in Germany. Heine answered a number of important questions such as, "how many beers does it take for a sourcing manager to make it through one year?"

Aberdeen Standard Investments launches global private markets fund
Aberdeen Standard Investments has launched a £138 million Global Private Markets Fund (GPMF), which will invest in a diversified mix of private credit, private equity, real estate and infrastructure

Alcentra launches third direct lending fund
A year on from closing its second direct lending fund, Alcentra is understood to be marketing fund three in its direct lending series

West coast manager closes $1.9 billion direct lending fund
Alternative investment manager Tennenbaum Capital Partners has held a final close of its eighth direct lending fund, TCP Direct Lending Fund VIII, with more than $1.9 billion of capital commitments

US mid-market earnings grow 12.8% in Q4 2017, up from 4.9% in Q3
Earnings in the US middle market grew by 12.8% in fourth quarter 2017, while overall revenue grew by 11.5% during September and October 2017, according to a Golub report

Crestline targets up to $500 million for new portfolio financing fund
Credit specialist Crestline Investors is launching a new fund to provide financing solutions to mature private equity funds, according to documents seen by Creditflux

European direct lending up 34% in recent quarter: Deloitte report
Direct lending in Europe continues to boom, according to the latest Deloitte deal tracker, which found a 34% growth of direct lending deals in third quarter 2017 alone compared to third quarter 2016

Michigan pension fund commits $570 million to four credit fund managers
The State of Michigan Retirement Systems has revealed commitments of over $570 million to credit funds over Q3 2017, according to board documents

Texas pension fund allocates $100 million to direct lender's upcoming fund
Boston-based Summit Partners has received a $100 million commitment for its third credit fund – Summit Partners Credit Fund III – by a Texas pension fund

GreenOak announces final close at €600 million on real estate debt fund
The manager has held a final close on its Europe Secured Lending Fund, with total capital commitments of €600 million, surpassing its original target size of €500 million 

Private debt performance shines in institutional investing study
A quarter of institutional investors say private debt outperformed their expectations over 12 months to 28 August 2017

Private debt manager makes multi-million dollar sales for third credit opps fund
Private debt manager Park Square has made significant sales for its Capital Credit Opportunities III fund over the course of a year, regulatory filings indicate

Aviation investment specialists land at GAT to start leverage finance unit
A Florida-based aviation specialist has announced the launch of its Leveraged Finance Group (LFG), which will provide secured aircraft financing for lessors, investors and airlines, according a recent press release

Direct lender founder Isaly stepped down following sex harassment allegations: report
OrbiMed’s founder Samuel Isaly stepped down from his role at the healthcare-focused firm following sexual harassment claims against him, according to claims reported by Stat News

KKR and Audax poised to receive commitments from Arizona pension fund
Arizona’s Safety Personnel Retirement System may commit $175 million to credit strategies run ky KKR and Audax, according to board documents seen by Creditflux

Balance of power shifts away from direct lenders
Mid-sized corporations are getting their way at the expense of direct lenders at the negotiation table, recent research suggests.

European Investment Bank supports Spanish direct lending with €300 million loan
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has approved a €300 million loan to Bankinter, a Spanish bank, in order to promote lending to small and mid-sized enterprises in Spain

Tikehau raises another €300 million through bond issue
Tikehau has considerable firepower to deploy into the credit market, obtaining €1.3 billion of financing in the last month.

KKR lists largest BDC on NYSE
A business development company (BDC) co-sponsored by asset manager KKR has gone public

Amundi hopes investors bite as it produces Italian ham and cheese offering
Amundi aims to raise €150 million for a new private debt fund that will invest in private bonds guaranteed by iconic Italian food products    

Swedish firm debuts direct lending fund with an eye on Scandanavian SMEs
A Swedish broker and asset manager has launched a new direct lending vehicle known as the Scandinavian Credit Fund I

Ares keeps up direct lending growth and plans new credit fund launch
Ares Management’s credit business just keeps growing, with the firm planning a new fund launch and a continued push into European direct lending, according to a recent results presentation