On-site due diligence rules pose fundraising challenge
Stipulations in some fund limited partner bylaws dictating strict due diligence could pose a challenge for asset managers, sources say

Private credit dangers lurk, but fear drives inflows
Fear of missing out is one reason institutional investors are allocating to private credit, but market partici­pants say that investors should err on the side of caution, despite the number of attractive opportunities

Credit funds at a glance (May 2020)
A round-up of fundraising and people moves

Apollo earmarks $20 billion for dislocation fundraising over 12 months
Apollo's returns for corporate credit, structured credit and direct origination in the first quarter were down 8.3%, 14.7% and 4.8%, respectively, but the firm is looking to launch various credit strategies, including capital solutions, dislocation strategies and distressed strategies, that it “expects to accumulate $20 billion over the next year”

GSO eyes $7 billion for credit opps fund and closes $4.8 billion European direct lending fund
GSO is eyeing a $7 billion target size for a new credit opportunites fund. The New York-based manager recently closed its second European direct lending fund, GSO Senior European Debt Fund II, at $4.8 billion

KKR deploys 10% of $2 billion coronavirus dislocation credit fund
KKR Credit has plans to launch a $2 billion dislocated corporate and asset backed credit fund to take advantage of coronavirus-induced volatility. And the New York-based manager has wasted no time swooping on opportunities after deploying $212 million by 9 April

Fair Oaks issues shares to buy more CLO debt after 50% equity tranche hit
Fair Oaks Capital has issued new shares on its CLO fund at a premium to its net asset value to capitalise on CLO debt, which it says “offers attractive risk-adjusted returns over the medium term”

CSAM holds second close on drawdown CLO fund
Credit Suisse Asset Management is set to hold a second close on a CLO fund it launched late last year.

Global direct lending fundraising plummets in Q1
Global direct lending fundraising figures plummeted in the first quarter as coronavirus-related volatility kicked in. Managers raised just $9.4 billion raised across 11 funds compared to $18.6 billion across 15 in Q1 2019, according to Creditflux's fund database

Virginia pension allocates $850 million to credit in Q1
Virginia Retirement System has allocated $850 million to three credit strategies in the first quarter of the year, according to an update at its 15 April investment committee meeting

Neuberger Berman eyes $500 million fundraise for CLO opportunity fund
Neuberger Berman has become the latest manager to launch a CLO opportunity fund with the New York-headquartered manager looking to raise $500 million for the vehicle

Bardin Hill pulls in $300 million for first close of opportunistic credit fund
Bardin Hill has held a first close on an opportunistic credit fund at around $300 million, according to sources familiar with the matter

Axiom bets on 2002-style credit recovery with crossover fund launch
Axiom Alternative Investments is readying to launch a fund aimed at generating returns from the dislocation and revival of European and US credit as the coronavirus pandemic develops

Former JP Morgan credit prop trader relaunches credit hedge fund
Palm Lane Partners is relaunching – two years after the credit hedge fund manager looked to spin out of JP Morgan Asset Management

Private credit managers re-examine docs in new fundraising approach
Private credit managers are facing numerous challenges and those looking to fundraise have had to change the way they approach the process, including documentation, according to a note from DLA Piper

Managers get creative as private credit fundraising set for Q2 dent
Private credit funds should expect a slowdown in fundraising as credit markets gyrate wildly and investors address issues in their public market strategies. But managers have been coming up with creative solutions to keep business flowing

Alcentra prepares listed credit fund
BNY Mellon Investment Advisor has teamed up with affiliate Alcentra to launch a listed fund that can invest across a range of credit strategies

Axiom seeks high yield sweet spot with long-short fund
Axiom Alternative Investments is set to launch a long-short fund that will identify mispricings of high yield credit arising from the prolonged compression of spreads between different rating bands.

Bayside targets $1.25 billion for special situations fund
HIG Bayside is targeting $1.25 billion for its latest special situations fund, HIG Bayside Loan Opportunity Fund VI, according to US regulatory filings filed on Monday

Lord Abbett preps floating rate interval fund with monthly share repurchase
Lord Abbett Enhanced Floating Rate Fund will invest at least 80% of its assets in floating rate products including senior secured or unsecured loans, second lien debt and floating rate structured credit including CLOs

JP Morgan AM launches first European multi-factor fixed income ETF
JP Morgan Asset Management has launched an inaugural fixed income multi-factor exchange traded fund in Europe

Mercer puts private debt at heart of $2.7 billion fund of fund
Mercer has held a final close at $2.7 billion for a private markets fund that offers investors access to private debt and sustainable products  

Whitehelm holds €500 million first close on infrastructure debt strategy
Whitehelm Capital has held a €500 million first close on its infrastructure debt strategy, according to an announcement. Creditflux's sister publication Inframation reports that this is split between Whitehelm Capital Infrastructure Debt Partners I and managed accounts

Pimco plans to outperform come rain or shine with $4.5bn all-weather fund
Pimco has become the latest manager to fashion a flexible, all weather credit fund that invests across public and private markets, geographies and capital structures. The Newport Beach-based manager is hoping to raise $3 billion for the strategy. With half a turn of leverage, it could have up to $4.5 billion to deploy.

GSO aims to place US CLOs in Europe
GSO Capital Partners has launched a manager entity named Blackstone/GSO CLO Management LLC in an effort to sell US CLOs into Europe.