This is not just wider: M&S stands apart as CDS picks new tights
As credit spreads head back into post-crisis record tight territory amid a softening of tone between the US and Iran, retailer Marks & Spencer is bucking the rally having issued a profit warning today

Portfolio Advisors hits first close as it targets $1.5 billion for secondaries fund
Private markets specialist Portfolio Advisors has completed a first close on its latest secondaries fund at the end of December 2019, having raised between $600m to $700m, a source told Creditflux  

UK pension eyes managers as part of £1 billion-plus credit expansion
Border to Coast Pensions Partnership is seeking investment managers for single credit asset class mandates,

Private debt tops the private markets agenda for insurers, finds Schroders
Insurers currently allocate the largest proportion of their private assets’ portfolio to private debt, followed by real estate, according to study published by asset manager Schroders  

Managers acquiesce on fees as small UK pensions seek private credit nest egg
Private credit fund managers are rejigging their fee structures in order to attract small UK pension schemes.

Falling correlation reignites passion for index tranche trades
Dispersion in the global corporate credit market is rekindling interest in correlation trading, with dealer sources reporting that a late surge lifted 2019 index tranche volumes to $250 billion.

Pitching your structured credit fund: the three golden rules
Structured credit fund managers were given a lesson in how to market their strategies by a group of asset allocators at the Creditflux CLO Summit in New York.

Complacency rules after rally in run-up to UK election
UK credits rallying was a familiar sight for much of November, mainly due to investors cutting their previous short positions ahead of the country’s 12 December election, but dealers reported little appetite to replace long, short or hedging trades going into the final stretch.

Deep dive trade is on, but single name risks still abound
High yield CDS is reversing its previous underperformance versus investment grade, reflecting an investor shift down the quality spectrum in cash bonds.

UK pension partnership launches maiden private credit offering at £581 million
Border to Coast Pensions Partnership (BCPP) is set to commit £581 million in private credit, as part of its maiden offering in this asset class  

Italian pension eyes private market investments with debt and equity mandate
Fondoposte has launched a request for proposals in which it outlines plans to invest in private debt and private equity  

Arizona pension to deploy up to $700 million a year in private credit
Arizona Public Safety Employee System is looking to deploy $600-700 million in private credit strategies per year in order to meet its target allocation, according to board documents seen by Creditflux.

UK pension Nest selects manager for £500 million global bond allocation
Nest, the largest pension scheme in the UK with over 8 million members, has selected a manager to oversee a £500 million separately managed account focused on global corporate bonds

BlueBay private debt spin-off hires in credit opps following rebrand
BlueBay’s former private debt team has rebranded to Arcmont Asset Management, following the completion of its spinoff from BlueBay. And the independent entity is wasting no time in expanding its business by hiring two senior officials to oversee a new opportunistic credit strategy

Newly formed Italian asset manager launches direct lending fund
Equita Capital is seeking a first close of its second private debt fund by February 2020, Creditflux has learnt. The fund is understood to have an ESG focus  

Crestline bags $360 million for inaugural European opportunities fund
Crestline Investors has held a final close on its inaugural European special situations fund, Crestline Opportunity Fund III Europe, at $360 million, surpassing its original $300 million target size

Man hires real estate loan specialist from JP Morgan
Man Group has hired an investment director to its European private debt team

UK pension hires BNP Paribas AM for starring role in core-satellite private credit fund
UK pension fund Nest has appointed BNP Paribas Asset Management to run the core of a private credit fund, sources say, in an arrangement which sees Amundi and BlackRock manage certain satellite investments  

Credit CIO Finch leaves GLG
Simon Finch has parted ways with Man GLG, according to market sources, ending an 18-month stay at the firm where he served as chief investment officer for credit

Reality bites after credit traders abandon Brexit hedges
Rediscovered faith in the ability of the UK and European Union to reach an agreement before the 31 October Brexit deadline has helped fuel a surge tighter of credit spreads, led by UK financial names. But that break with caution faces an immediate reality check today, following admissions a lot more work is needed

Russell and Mediobanca launch multi-asset fund with CLO allocation
Mediobanca Private Banking has joined forces with Russell Investments to set up a fund that has a 20% allocation to credit, sources say  

CVC appoints director to bolster French private debt origination
The new hire is based in Paris and brings more than 15 years of financial market experience

Axiom makes big name correlation hire for credit opportunity fund
Axiom Alternative Investments has boosted its platform with the hire of synthetic credit veteran as a portfolio manager

UK pension awards private credit mandates and eyes co-investments
Nest, a UK defined contribution pension scheme, has selected Amundi and BlackRock as private credit managers, to manage a global real estate and global infrastructure debt mandate, respectively.  

Draghi sends European credit to 2019 tights, as Trump demands Fed response
European investment grade credit – and particularly the financial sector – surged tighter today as European Central Bank president Mario Draghi, in the penultimate meeting of his reign, unveiled a ‘whatever it takes’ stimulus