Iran conflict weighs on primary but cross-border European loan deal flow continues
Europe Loan Digest: Electronic Arts prices euro-dollar loan; Grifols launches refi

European direct lending opportunity grows as US faces headwinds—AlbaCore
EXCLUSIVE: Outflows from select US direct lending vehicles could result in European direct lending spreads, particularly on larger deals, widening even further, Luke Gillam, head of senior direct lending, told Creditflux

AI blockbuster deals surge as Middle East conflict test dealmaker confidence
Mergermarkets M&A Highlights 1Q26: Global M&A volume jumped 22% to the second highest start ever

Investors scrutinise AI disruption and opportunities in the European loan market
Lower EV, high leverage elevate credit risk and refi challenges; AI-driven sell-off creates selective buy opportunities

Majority of LPs expect to mix public and private credit despite liquidity challenges – BSP survey
Within the next five years, 59% of global institutional investors expect to take an integrated approach to public and private credit investments, new research from Benefit Street Partners shows 

ABS primary braves geopolitical uncertainty as spreads start to feel pressure – European ABS Weekly Digest
The European ABS primary market mostly shunned geopolitical risk this week as seven deals priced, two of which were pre-placed

Citi announces debt capital markets co-heads, including a hire from BofA
The new co-heads will fill the open spot left by head of global debt capital markets Rich Zogheb, who is retiring after 40 years in the industry

Unitranche deals take off in Europe, setting new record – Houlihan
The European private credit market completed 570 unitranche deals in 2025, marking an all-time high since Houlihan Lokey started publishing its quarterly report

Group.ONE TLB and Cision loan fall on continued AI selloff
Market Comment: Software leveraged loans are under pressure on continued AI fears

Fund performance – December 2025
All categories end 2025 positively as Pictet Alt takes 12-month crown

Private credit investors chase higher risk-return—Campbell Lutyens
A new survey shows investors are seeking higher returning strategies amid expectations of lower rates, while also turning away from the dominant North American market

CAPZA appoints co-head of private debt
New parent company BNPP AM Alts seeks to accelerate the growth of the mid-market private debt franchise in Europe, the company said

Loan market steams ahead with new launches as more deals line up in Europe
Flex-downs abound, but Hologic’s sub-300bps spread raises eyebrows, while performance in focus for Archroma, Seqens and Lipton Tea

Rising tide swells deal flow as 2026 M&A wave grows
Tech, healthcare, financial services dominated 2025 deal flow, as US inbound soared; UK, EU policy stability, German defence spending support 2026 European deal sentiment

Repricings comprise half of European levloans’ record year, new money drops to lowest level since GFC
The European leveraged loan market reached its highest yearly issuance volume ever in 2025, according to Debtwire data, driven by repricings

Allianz GI raises EUR 1.2bn to fund private debt secondaries
The sophomore fund held a first close and will pursue private debt secondaries deals globally

CVC launches dedicated private credit secondaries platform
The alternative asset manager tapped Henri Lusa, a former managing director at Partners Group, to lead the new effort

CLO investor Pearl Diver targets USD 1.5bn for SRT interval fund
The global structured credit manager will use the new institutional, open-ended vehicle to invest in first-loss or mezzanine tranches of significant risk transfer deals

Dealmaking optimism appears in European credit – CVC
The alternative asset manager increased its European credit exposure during the third quarter after seeing a spread pickup

European direct lending poised for record year despite 3Q M&A slowdown
Direct lending volumes in Europe in 3Q25 amounted to EUR 27.4bn across 310 transactions, according to the Debtwire European Direct Lender Rankings

ABF increases the lending toolkit – Apollo co-head of asset-backed finance Bret Leas
PODCAST: Bret Leas, co-head of asset-backed finance at Apollo Global Management, says asset-backed financing has contributed to a significant widening of the financing toolkit, on the latest edition of the Credit Exchange podcast with Lisa Lee

New York State Common Retirement Fund commits USD 200m to Oak Hill's CLO fund
The pension fund has committed the funds to OHA CLO Equity Fund III, which will target investments in North America and Europe

Blackstone raises USD 1.6bn for new high-yield ABF strategy
The alternative asset management giant is targeting USD 4bn for its new high yield, private-asset-based finance fund

Corporate Europe kicks on with ECM, M&A plans as US market fears grow
Best year for European corporate equity capital markets and M&A since 2021, but storm clouds forming in US AI valuations and private credit

Altice France new capital structure starts trading as investors consider M&A potential
Restructuring completed as secured debt trades; break-up of Altice France business possible through sector consolidation