Top Gun triggers credit event, but there's no debt in the barrel
Top Gun Realisations 61, a New Look retail group private limited company that was previously named New Look Bondco I, has triggered a bankruptcy credit event, the EMEA Determinations Committee has ruled. But no CDS auction will follow since the reference entity has no debt outstanding

ICG brings in managing director for client-facing role spanning Austria and Germany
ICG has appointed Julia Beinker as managing director to expand the firm’s client base in Austria and Germany

Esma publishes final guidelines for alternative and Ucits fund liquidity stress-test
Fund managers have just over a year to comply with liquidity stress test final guidelines published yesterday by the European Securities and Markets Authority (Esma) for alternative investment funds (AIFs) and undertakings for the collective investment in transferable securities (Ucits)

Swedish pension dismisses CEO over trading rules violation
First Swedish National Pension Fund (AP1) says its has dismissed chief investment officer (CEO) Johan Magnusson, claiming he breached internal regulations in regard to holding and trading financial instruments  

LCH's French unit adds first Japanese clearing member
Mizuho has signed up as the first Japanese clearing member of LCH SA, the French clearing unit of London Stock Exchange-owned LCH Group

Credit traders' kickstand: Europe ascendant as high yield pipeline returns
The high yield bond primary market grinds back into gear this week just as European credit reaches an extreme point of outperformance over the US, and comes on the back of Europe’s busiest week of investment grade issuance in 18 months

Determinations Committee to rule on maverick bankruptcy credit event
Top Gun Realisations 61, a New Look retail group private limited company that was previously named New Look Bondco I, is under consideration for a bankruptcy credit event trigger, after the Determinations Committee accepted a request to rule on the matter

Green bonds and international credit deliver double-digit returns for Swedish pension
Second Swedish National Pension Fund (AP2) reached SEK 367.4 billion in the first half of 2019, with investments in fixed income generating double-digit returns, according to its half year report  

Steinhoff credit event auction finally in sight after restructuring concludes
A long-awaited auction to settle CDS referencing retailer Steinhoff Europe has moved a step closer, with the EMEA Determinations Committee noting the restructuring effective date has happened and the company voluntary arrangement (CVA) has been fully implemented

Danish pension's credit portfolio gains 7.7% in 2019
Danish pension fund Arbejdsmarkedets Tillægspension (ATP) generated a return of DKK 2.7 billion ($401.2 million) on its credit portfolio in the first half of 2019, increasing the market value of credit investment to DKK 35 billion, according to H1 results

Credit traders’ kickstand: it’s a tough time to go short
Credit derivative indices are ending the week back at very tight levels, with a re-convergence of spreads, with little appetite to bet against presumed central bank dovishness or the upcoming CDS rolls in September

Credit traders' kickstand: Basis and CDS curves take focus with long wait ahead for central bank direction
With almost a month to wait before the European Central Bank and US Federal Reserve hold their next decisive meetings, a bumpier and seemingly directionless road continues in credit markets as investors show little inclination to do anything more adventurous than just hold on tight

Cambridge University appoints CIO
The University of Cambridge has named a CIO who previously served at instutituions such as the BBC and Virgin  

Buy iTraxx Europe equity tranche risk but sell Crossover mezz, says JP Morgan
Investors should stick with ‘search for yield’ ideas in investment grade credit, say JP Morgan credit strategists, including selling iTraxx Europe 0-3% equity tranches delta hedged, going long the 10-year Europe index, and selling credit volatility through index options while buying equity market volatility

BlueMountain buyout to bring CLO equity shift, funding pledge and Feldstein payout
BlueMountain Capital Management’s co-founder Andrew Feldstein looks set to receive a substantial pay-out in common shares of Assured Guaranty, which has agreed to buy the manager for around $160 million and has outlined a three-year plan for its CLOs

Credit traders' kickstand: volatility puts paid to primary, but pays out for relative value buyers
The persistence of credit market choppiness has brought into focus CDS/bond basis plays, options positioning, high yield dispersion and peripheral European weakness - but mainly the volatility rash has put a block on borrowers' primary market aspirations

Lombard Odier expands sustainability team
Lombard Odier has bolstered its sustainability capabilities with the appointments of Christopher Kaminker and Ebba Lepage  

Galapagos CDS settles higher than expected despite net interest to sell
Galapagos Holdings CDS settled at a price that, while low, was nonetheless higher than had been implied by initial markets despite a net open interest among participating dealers to sell the company’s bonds

Galapagos CDS auction kicks off with very low initial market midpoint
Bidding in a credit event auction today to settle Galapagos Holdings CDS has produced a very low initial market midpoint, suggesting there will be a high final pay-out to holders of protection

Galapagos CDS auction looms with Morgan Stanley added to participating bidders
A credit event auction tomorrow to settle Galapagos Holdings CDS will have 10 participating bidders, with Morgan Stanley having been approved by other dealers to take part

UK pension pool launches multi-asset credit search
Border to Coast, a £46 billion ($56.8 billion) partnership between 12 UK pension plans, is seeking for a core multi asset credit manager, for its recently opened multi asset credit fund  

New EC fund rules could lead to ‘pre-pre-marketing’
The European Commission has approved a standardised concept of ‘pre-marketing’ in a move that could see more capital flow through the European Economic Area. The new definition of pre-marketing is meant to provide clarity, but some sources say that the amendments could be seen as an additional burden and lead to a concept of pre-pre-marketing.

Investors seek oasis as new issues dry up

Flat curves and decompression make waves below the surface
Hopes of using the summer slowdown to get to the beach may be tempered for credit relative value traders, where opportunities abound behind the uninspiring benchmark numbers of the slow market grind.

Points up front: Benefits of being unethical
Investing ethically is increasingly becoming part of a credit manager’s mandate, with environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies all the rage.