Unlevered direct lending funds bring in first-time investors
Unlevered direct lending funds are particularly appealing to first-time investors and one of the biggest managers in the business has taken note of this

Private credit delivers strong returns for Finnish pension
Valtion Eläkerahasto (VER) has generated 12.4% from its private credit funds for 2018, according to its latest annual report  

Illiquid credit boost returns for PensionDanmark
PensionDanmark has generated 5.8% returns from its illiquid credit portfolio for the year 2018, according to its latest annual report published today. But its liquid credit portfolio took a 3.4% hit

Ares grows credit 34% with direct lending boost, but high yield takes rough ride in Q4
Ares Management Corporation reported strong returns for its European direct lending strategies in the fourth quarter of 2018. But the firm's overall revenues slumped and its US loan funds and high yield strategies were hit by the volatile credit market 

Italian journo pension scheme presses ahead with plan to invest in private debt
The National Institute for Italian Journalists' Social Security (INPGI) has launched a tender notice seeking closed-ended private debt funds to invest in, or unlisted debt instruments including infrastructure debt, private corporate debt and real estate debt  

Tikehau garners €2.1 billion for European direct lending strategy
Tikehau Investment Management has collected €2.1 billion for its fourth private debt strategy - three times larger than its predecessor fund 

BlueBay closes fourth direct lending fund at €6 billion
BlueBay Asset Management has held a final close for its fourth private debt fund with over €6 billion of investable capital

HPS targets $8 billion for flagship mezzanine strategy
HPS Mezzanine Partners 2019, the firm's fourth fund in its mezzanine strategy, has won $100 million from a Louisiana pension fund 

AnaCap buys €4 billion Italian SME loan portfolio
AnaCap Financial Partners has made its first transaction of its fourth credit opportunities fund 

Talde launches €100 million debt fund
Talde Private Equity, a Spanish general partner company, has launched Talde Deuda Alternativa, a debt fund with a €100 million target aimed at financing European small and medium sized enterprises

BlueBay targets €5 billion for European direct lending strategy
BlueBay Asset Management is targeting €5 billion for its latest European direct lending strategy, according to documents seen by Creditflux, and has won $125 million in commitments from two US pension funds

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

Head of European private debt Bone earns promotion at Partners
Partners Group’s head of private debt in Europe, Christopher Bone, has been promoted to partner as one of 10 senior-level promotions announced by the firm

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

EQT raises its second European direct lending fund
EQT has raised €2.3 billion for a European direct lending fund, exceeding its initial €1 billion target

Singapore fund to lend to financial institutions in emerging and developing markets
Singapore’s EFA Group is aiming to raise $100 million for a fund that will lend to banks and financial institutions in emerging and developing economies

Blackstone builds on multi-asset approach with fifth fund
The new vehicle will invest directly into Blackstone deals across its alternatives platform

Crestline holds $600 million final close for PE-focused financing fund
The new fund will provide financing to private equity funds post their investment period, allowing them to provide follow-on growth capital to portfolio companies or additional liquidity 

ICG hits €4 billion target for European private debt fund
Intermediate Capital Group has hit its €4 billion fundraising target for its seventh European private debt fund, according to the firm’s semi-annual results

Managers see growth in distressed and direct lending, but structured credit splits opinion
The private credit industry remains on track to grow to $1 trillion assets under management by 2020, according to joint research published by the Alterative Credit Council and law firm Dechert with allocations to distressed and mid-market deals tipped to rise. But structured credit has divided US and European managers

First European SME CLO 2.0 edges closer after warehouse tweaks
Be-Spoke Capital’s European SME CLO is nearing the finishing line, with sources indicating NatWest Markets aims to price the deal, Alhambra SME Funding 2018-1, in early December. The development comes after the CLO exceeded the warehouse’s 12-month ramp-up period

MV Credit raises €803 million for credit fund following Natixis acquisition
MV Credit, formerly known as Mezzvest, has held a final close for its fourth private credit fund with €803 million capital commitments

BNP Paribas' fund of fund platform holds first close on European mid-market strategy
BNP Paribas Asset Management's fund of fund business is targeting €250 million for a strategy which will allocate to "top tier" European mid market debt managers 

Blackstone grows credit assets by 31% over year
The firm achieved strong fundraising in credit, taking credit-related assets under managment to $130.6 billion in the third quarter, a 31% increase year-on-year