Credit Rendezvous: record fiscal stimulus provides pick-me-up
Credit markets had a mini bounce-back in the second quarter as central banks poured cash into the economy. But there is great uncertainty about the effects of a second wave of coronavirus. As part of our quarterly report on credit - the Credit Rendezvous - Creditflux spoke to experts across 12 segments of the credit market

US and Europe diverge as loan trading bands emerge on the continent
Europe and the US are on different courses with credit indices having drifted apart over the past month, say trading sources. Europe is expected to suffer fewer defaults to the extent that "it’s getting quite difficult for borrowers to default”, as one source put it. But the US has "higher growth potential due to its more dynamic economy"

Sculptor CEO Shafir to step down with CIO taking dual role
Sculptor Capital Management has announced that its chief investment officer will take also take on the role of chief executive officer, effective 1 April 2021

Fund performance: CLO tranches move up
April returns managed a partial bounce back after a tumultuous March. 82% of funds listed in the Creditflux database made positive returns, showing at least small signs of recovery after 90% of all funds listed posted negative returns in March

KKR takes covid-19 hit on flagship credit funds and lev fin
KKR took a 16% hit to returns on its alternative credit flagship funds amid the first quarter coronavirus downturn and a 13% loss on leveraged credit, taking these into negative territory for the last 12 months. The firm's private equity portfolio also slumped by 12%

Credit Rendezvous: recovery begins, but is it U, V or even W?
Investing in credit is not as easy as ABC. The coronavirus crisis has crushed valuations and although most assets will eventually pull to par, no one is sure how the recovery will pan out

Schroders appoints deputy head for credit business
Schroders has hired to the newly-created position of deputy head of credit

UK charities join forces on hunt for ESG managers
Three UK based charities are joining forces in the hunt for a manager to oversee a £32 million ($41.6 million) portfolio with a strong focus on environment, social and governance (ESG) criteria as well as impact investing  

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

US credit managers make ESG breakthrough after taking a first step via UNPRI
Incorporating a framework for investing in companies based on environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors is a challenge that US credit managers are accepting in growing numbers

DC accepts New Look failure-to-pay credit event question
The Europe, Middle East and Africa Determinations Committee has accepted a request to rule on whether New Look has triggered a failure-to-pay credit event

New manager Resco lands ex-credit head to found advisory board
Resco Asset Management, a London based asset manager set up last year, has appointed the first of an anticipated three advisory board members

Muzinich poaches Neuberger Berman MD for top fund distribution role
Muzinich has hired a global head of distribution, according to an announcement today, picking up the role previously held by Joshua Hughes, who left for CIFC Asset Management in May

Spanish bank prices €972 million SRT with triple As paying 31bp
Cajamar Caja Rural, based in southern Spain, has priced a €972.1 million significant risk transfer (SRT), according to market sources

Cairn sheds light on single-investment SRT fund
Fresh details have emerged on Cairn Capital’s new significant risk transfer (SRT) funds with the manager informing Creditflux that Pathfinder Fund III was structured such with US requirements in mind

Cairn adds two SRT funds to its roster
Cairn Capital has raised $150 million across two significant risk transfer (SRT) funds - with differing mandates - according to an announcement by the firm

Spanish €2.3 billion SRT referencing project finance loans suffers downgrade
A junior debt tranche in a €2.3 billion significant risk transfer originated by Banco Santander has suffered a downgrade less than a year after its launch

Ex-Citi CDO trading chief joins Jefferies as head of European fixed income
Jefferies has appointed a former Citi European credit and pre-crisis CDO trading head to lead its European fixed income business

Santander issues £1.1 billion SRT featuring UK project finance loans
Banco Santander has completed a £1.12 billion significant risk transfer through a transaction dubbed Fitzroy 2018-1 CLO

Capital Four fund soft closes at €350 million
Copenhagen-based Capital Four Invest has recommended a soft close for its Luxembourg-domiciled Credit Opportunities Fund following its growth to €350 million

Spanish boutique launches its first Ucits credit fund
Madrid-based Arcano Asset Management has launched its first Ucits credit fund, citing demand from Ucits investors for credit fund investment opportunities based on floating assets and with low interest rate risk

Leading fund: Lupus Alpha CLO Opportunity Notes I
Single-B CLO trades boost Lupus Alpha asset Management

Investing ethically is worth it
Managers could see less volatile returns as a result of their increasing adoption of ESG-friendly portfolios; meanwhile direct lending is spreading across Europe

Eiffel long-short fund joins Creditflux listing
Eiffel Credit Opportunities fund has been added to the Creditflux credit hedge funds table under the relative value category