Maine pension bolsters private credit allocation with $100 million mandate
The pension fund mandated $100 million to a US direct lending firm, after it was underweight its 5% target allocation to alternative credit 

Credit drives strong returns for five of the largest asset managers in the business
Carlyle is close to hitting its ambitious fundraising target; direct lending has been kind to Ares; and Och-Ziff has decided to shed its US CLO risk retention stakes after exiting its financing agreements

Star names join Barclays as it pushes into CLOs

THL Credit looks to raise new US direct lending fund
Boston-headquartered THL Credit is looking to raise capital for its fourth direct lending fund – THL Credit Direct Lending Fund IV, according to SEC filings.

Oaktree raises new special situations fund while CIO warns of direct lending risk
Oaktree Capital Management has released its second quarter 2018 results in which the Los Angeles-based firm reported $2.4 billion of new capital commitments in the quarter

Houlihan Lokey launches US loan platform and signs up HPS
Global investment bank Houlihan Lokey has launched a new syndicated leveraged finance platform as part of its capital markets group in response to “significant client demand” 

Capital Dynamics registers debut direct lending fund
Zug-based Capital Dynamics is looking to launch Capital Dynamics US Middle Market Credit Fund after establishing a private credit business over the last 12 months

San Francisco pension fund to deploy up to $4.5 billion in private debt
The City and County of San Francisco Employee’s Retirement System has revealed details of its new private debt pacing plan - which will see it deploy up to $4.5 billion and partner with up to 25 private debt managers over the next six years

Ares emerges as favourite to take over troubled direct lending fund
Following Oaktree’s wind-down request, the board of the Ranger Direct Lending Fund has chosen Ares as replacement manager - moves which could see the fund change its focus from peer-to-peer loan investments to asset-backed loans

Mayer Brown adds private credit partner in Chicago
Jaime Gatenio joins global law firm as banking and finance partner in its global private credit group

CLO and direct lending specialist hires former GAM director
A Boston-based alternative credit manager has named Christopher Todisco as a new director on the business development team in New York

Ivy Hill prices first billion-dollar mid market CLO of 2018
The Los Angeles-based firm issued its first new middle-market CLO in almost 12 months on Friday

Mid market CLO round-up: Antares leads the way as triple As price at 125bp
Although US mid-market CLOs had a slow start to the year, the last two weeks have seen heightened activity in this sector with established players such as Antares Capital, Cerberus Capital Management, Fortress Investments and Midcap Financial pricing new CLOs

Allocations to fixed income leap but private debt shrinks under new pension fund plan
The City of San Jose Police & Fire Retirement Plan is considering a new investment strategy that would reduce its private debt allocation, according to documents seen by Creditflux

Direct lenders pile into "turbocharged" market as fundraising skyrockets: report
Growth in the direct lending market in the 12 months to 31 December was “turbocharged,” growing robustly in the fourth quarter 2017 in particular due to a consistently growing Eurozone economy, according to Deloitte

Private equity firm hits target size with $170 million for its first credit fund
Technology-focused private equity firm Accel-KKR has raised $170 million – and hit the total offering amount – for its series 1 Credit Partners fund, which appears to be a direct lending strategy

FS Investment BDC's assets shrink for fifth year running
FS Investment Corporation, an FS Investments business development company (BDC), failed to grow its assets again in 2017 – but insists its recently announced partnership with KKR will allow it to grow stockholder value

Canadian asset manager acquires Asian private credit specialist Clearwater
In a bid to gain entry to the Asian private credit market, Canadian investment firm Fiera Capital Corporation has acquired Asian credit specialist Clearwater Capital Partners

Credit specialist poaches Goldman Sach's Eric Muller in New York
Credit specialist Oak Hill Advisors has hired New York-based Eric Muller from Goldman Sachs Group, according to a market source

Charlotte direct lender taps former BAML specialist for chief risk officer role
Capitala Group has hired Peter Sherman as chief risk officer, the North Carolina-based direct lender has announced

Minnesota pension fund looks to commit $535 million to 'private credit'
Minnesota State Board of Investments has recommended investments worth $535 million to private credit, according to board documentation seen by Creditflux

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

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

Monroe's new CLO suggests increasing demand for mid market deals
The basis between middle market CLOs and CLOs backed by broadly syndicated loans is (slowly) shrinking