Brexit trade deal bolsters private debt deal-making
The long-awaited Brexit UK-EU trade deal struck on 24 December has provided private equity sponsors with a level of certainty, say market participants, even though a financial services deal is still to come

Signs of new dawn as tranche volumes smash past $250bn
Last year, people formed fresh habits as they adapted to the coronavirus pandemic. Similarly, in credit, a breakthrough year for the CDS tranche market is leading participants to believe that elevated tranche volumes are here to stay

Direct Lending Perspectives: deal flow gets back on track
Direct lending deal flow popped back towards pre-pandemic levels by the end of Q3, raising hopes that the European middle market is back on its feet after six months were volumes had slumped

Sovereign wealth funds empower direct lenders
Sovereign wealth funds are turning toward the booming private credit market, with three massive partnerships formed this year

Dealers power up as tranche trading hits new heights
A big year for index tranche trading has taken volume within grasping distance of full-year 2019, a post-financial crisis record, with a deepening pool of dealers adding support

Direct Lending Perspectives: fundraising takes a hit
European direct lending funds raised just €2.6 billion over the second quarter, according to European Direct Lending Perspectives, the joint report from Creditflux and Debtwire. This is down from the €11.3 billion of capital raised in Q2 2019

Dach mid-market lending is 'back to business', GCA Altium survey reveals
Mid-market lenders in the German-speaking region appear to be back to business, with around 90% of banks and debt funds open to evaluate new financing opportunities, according to a September survey by GCA Altium

Direct lenders turn to attractive non-sponsored deals
Non-sponsored deal flow has increased in August and lenders are grabbing the opportunity. These deals typically exhibit a premium to sponsored deals, but with plenty of cash chasing middle market M&A, lenders have previously found quality deals tough to find

Palmer Square debuts in European CLOs with static transaction
Palmer Square Capital Management, a well-known manager of static US CLO deals, is marketing its inaugural deal in Europe with a static CLO format

CSOs start printing again with new money ready to invest
The synthetic bespoke market is putting behind it the turmoil of recent months, with a pipeline of new CSO transactions starting to price and a swelling supply of new money lining up to invest.

Fed settles one third of small business loans in latest talf funding round
Of the $453.2 million small business loans requested in the 21 July subscription, only $152 million settled

Fed extends emergency relief programmes to 31 December
The Federal Reserve has announced that its lending facilities announced in response to the coronavirus pandemic have been extended until 31 December

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

Four managers join forces on gigantic £1.9 billion unitranche
The supersized transaction to Ardonagh Group, led by Ares, is the largest ever unitranche facility

Direct lenders eye 200bp premium in primary market
Deal flow is streaming in for European direct lenders who, despite monitoring portfolios for covid-19 related issues, have one eye on the primary market

Germany's €600 billion aid package and amended insolvency rules line road to recovery
Germany has launched two major initiatives, relevant for direct lenders, to help companies weather the negative financial impact of the covid-19 pandemic, according to Hans Stamm and Angelo Lercara, Munich-based partners at Dechert

UK government approves covid-19 loan scheme for larger businesses
The UK government announced a new covid-19 loan scheme on Friday to support larger firms with annual turnover of up to £500 million

Short-dated CSOs touted as jump-to-default risk hits curves
The coronavirus outbreak has all but vanquished hopes of any regular CSO business getting done, but sources say bespoke portfolios of short-dated CDS could soon be in the offing as investors look to express a view on when the crisis will end.

Lenders look at MAC clauses amid revolver demand
A plethora of revolver draws has swept through the corporate credit markets. While banks and asset managers have so far shown the capacity to meet their unfunded commitments, the material adverse change (MAC) clause in credit agreements could allow them to pushback on borrowers.

‘Hoard credit’ says PM as markets swing
As Creditflux went to press, the covid-19 death toll in Italy surged by 700 after two days of slowing, and the US congress agreed a $2 trillion stimulus package.

CDS show the way as prices move and volumes surge
CDS volumes provide an eye-opening view of how the asset class has grown in prominence during the coronavirus pandemic, with index trading near doubling year-to-date on 2019, even as secondary bond markets hit lockdown.

Fed unveils IG bond buying programme and direct lending plans
The US Federal Reserve has unveiled further measures to support the US economy alongside plans to establish a direct lending initiative - Main Street Business Lending Programme – to support lending to small-and-medium sized businesses

Silver lining: credit investors provided with lower entry points than Q4 2018
Oil shocks and the coronavirus outbreak, along with aftermath effects such as US Federal Reserve interventions and lockdowns, is providing credit investors with lower entry points than the Q4 2018 sell-off, say sources. Furthermore, an expected U-shaped rather than V-shaped recovery could provide a greater money multiple for opportunistic investments - if they can access them 

BDCs tap bond market to improve funding mix
A plethora of business development companies have turned to the institutional bond market to refinance their debt.