Credit spread improvement is calm before the storm, warn strategists
European and US credit markets have begun 2019 with a more buoyant tone than they ended 2018, but strategists warn that bearish factors still outweigh and suggest the overall direction of spreads this year is likely to be wider

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

London CCPs to be given 12-month EU equivalence in no-deal Brexit scenario
The European Commission will continue to grant equivalence to UK central clearing counterparties for 12 months in the case of a “no deal” Brexit, it has been variously reported

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

Astaldi CDS auction sets 30.875 final price as physical settlement boosts recovery
An auction today to settle credit default swaps referencing Astaldi has determined the final price to be 30.875 cents on the euro, meaning a 69.125 cents pay-out per euro for protection buyers

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

Astaldi CDS holders face Thursday deadline on auction deliverables
Market participants with exposure to Astaldi have until 5pm London time tomorrow (8 November) to submit any other potential deliverable obligations into the auction to settle the company’s credit default swaps

Isda transfers credit determinations secretary role to subsidiary
The International Swaps and Derivatives Association has relinquished its role as secretary to the credit derivatives determinations committees (DCs) with the appointment of a new unit, DC Administration Services (DCAS), to manage this function

Isda extends deadline for derivatives benchmark consultation
The International Swaps and Derivatives Association has extended the fast-approaching deadline for its consultation on derivatives benchmark fallbacks, to allow more time for responses

Axiom puts tranches at core of push into synthetic credit
Axiom Alternative Investments is set to target both index and bespoke tranches with the launch of Axiom Synthetic Credit Opportunity Fund.

Astaldi credit event question posed as its distress weighs on iTraxx Crossover
Astaldi, a constituent of iTraxx Crossover, has been referred to ISDA-hosted Credit Determinations Committees as a possible bankruptcy credit event – less than two weeks after the index rolled into a new series

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

Crossover users face waking up to much tighter index amid credit selection rule change
September could bring the biggest conceptual repurposing of the iTraxx Crossover index since its series 22 expansion, with IHS Markit set to overhaul rules governing how constituent credits are selected

Barclays hires another senior EM trader as Turkey continues to roil markets
Barclays has made an experienced hire to its EM credit trading team in London

CDS could help wean credit off the QE intravenous drip
Muzinich's high yield portfolio manager Thomas Samson takes our credit quiz

Global head of credit correlation leaves JP Morgan to launch new hedge fund
Market sources say that a high profile figure, known to have been responsible for unwinding JP Morgan's 'London whale' positions, has left the bank to start his own hedge fund

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

CLO equity and mezzanine fund liquidates two years before reinvestment period
BK Opportunities Fund-2 has liquidated two years before the end of its reinvestment period with annualised net return since inception at 12.4%, Creditflux has learned

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

JP Morgan AM professional to lead spin-out of credit hedge fund
Former JP Morgan Asset Management portfolio manager Fahad Roumani appears to be gearing up to lead a spin-out firm, which will manage the JPS Credit Opportunities Fund under its new name

New tailored credit index tranches draw in private bank investors
A new product aimed at private banks is quietly taking off in the synthetic structured credit space

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