Fund performance: European CLO funds lead the way
February was a positive month for many funds, as only one quarter failed to reach the black. This builds off a stellar start to the year: 96% of funds reached a positive return in January

Barclays won't let sleeping dogs lie after another Newfoundland CLO reset
Newfoundland CLO, the long running and world's largest balance-sheet CLO, has been given a new leash of life by upsizing in a reset yesterday, according to announcements from Moody’s and Scope Ratings.

Proskaeur hires CFO specialist from SocGen
Proskauer has announced the appointment of Matthew Kerfoot as partner in its finance group in New York

Fund performance: Credit funds end difficult 2022 on a positive note
In December 66% of credit funds reached a positive return, following an even better November where 81% of all funds pushed into the black

"Conditions making deal financing challenging for issuers can harm beneficial terms for investors"
Direct lending terms look better than at any point in the past decade. But is there enough to go around?

Lights go out for Heritage Power with 120 CLOs left in the dark
US based power plant operator Heritage Power filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in the bankruptcy court of Texas on Tuesday night, impacting $124.45 million of assets held by 120 US CLOs.

Beneath the triple C: Life could be better, but it’s just a letter, under the CCC
Many market participants were eagerly looking forward to a break in December after a gruelling year, but the rating agencies were in no mood to oblige. 

LP round up: 27 managers find the top corner with investor wins
Credit fund managers like to take it one fund at a time and give it 110% for their 90-minute investor fund pitches - and it's working as $3.8 billion was allocated during November and early December. The gaffer would be proud. 

Plenty more US CLOs in the CCC as buckets pass 5%, finds S&P
US CLO triple C baskets have nudged to 5.02% in November from 4.4% the prior month

Beneath the triple C: Stormy October hits CLOs with rising tide of downgrades
After a slight respite in the pace of downgrades over the summer for CLOs, October brought renewed momentum as macro-economic pressures - primarily high interest rate burdens for corporate borrowers and supply side inflation - became the recurring rationale

Proposed SEC rules "possibly existential" for open-ended loan funds, says LSTA
The US Securities and Exchange Commission's upcoming new rule focusing on liquidity management in open-ended funds could have “possibly existential” and negative implications for loan mutual funds and exchange traded funds in its current form, according to the LSTA

Cairn begins "new chapter" as it rebrands to Polus
Cairn Capital has been renamed Polus Capital Management, which brings it together with Bybrook Capital, the credit asset manager it acquired in 2021.  

Fund performance: Wake us up when September ends
After a resurgent August, credit markets hit a rough patch in September, with every Creditflux index posting negative returns, and only 12.9% of funds in our listings showing a positive return.

What matters is what you do with it
CLO managers yearn for flexibility so they can take advantage when credit sells off. But it isn’t enough on its own: triple C-flex CLOs saw portfolios erode this year, while CBOs outperformed

Fund performance: August provides much-needed relief for CLO funds
.August fund performance 

51% of investors plan to increase loan allocation in next 12 months: State Street survey
State Street surveyed 700 global institutional investors  on how they view the fixed income market and how they are allocating amid ongoing market volatility.

US loan index falls below 92 to almost wipe out gains since July
The S&P/LSTA Leveraged Loan Index sank to an average bid of 91.92 cents by Monday, down by two points in as many weeks, wiping out almost all the gains seen in the late-summer market rally

CLO OC ratios tick higher in US, but August defaults add pressure: Fitch
Senior and junior overcollateralisation test cushions in reinvesting CLOs increased to an average of 9% and 3.9% respectively after a string of issuers defaulted in August, according to Fitch Ratings

Beneath the triple C: US CLOs take a dip in the triple C as Europe watches from the sun lounger
The US CLO market bore the brunt of downgrades to triple C in July and August, with a total of $6.22 billion of paper affected. European CLOs enjoyed a more relaxing summer holiday, with only 1 name representing €33.88 million worth of bonds downgraded to triple C.  

CLOs keep eyes glued to screen as Cineworld previews possible chapter 11
Cineworld, the UK-based cinema giant, has announced that a chapter 11 restructuring is among the options it is considering, in response to recent media speculation about a possible default

Widening asset/liability gulf will hurt CLOs: Barclays
A mismatch between CLO asset / liability rate risk is increasing in the US as more leveraged loan issuers opt for one-month pay frequency, Barclays credit strategists have found

Quick! Avaya has ignited and $1 billion of CLO assets are at risk
Sparks are flying in the leveraged loan and high yield market after communications company Avaya Holdings slashed its forecasted earnings mere weeks after syndicating new debt. The rapid decline of Avaya's debt has left CLO managers little time to avoid the blaze

Market sentiment shifts as investors turn bullish on loans and CLOs
CLO market sentiment has shifted decisively in recent weeks with investors expressing more optimism than earlier in the year

Fund performance: Select funds shine in dreary June for credit hedge funds
Credit funds suffered through June, as only 8% of listed funds reached the black. This made June the fourth month in a row in which negative returns increased

We can cope with downgrades again