Leveraged loans pose credit risk but not systemic risk, conference told
Regulators and the press need to understand the difference between credit risk and systemic risk, claimed panelists at the IMN European CLOs and Leveraged Loans conference

Regulation stifles SRTs, but banks and investors revel in quarter-four outperformance
Over the course of 2018 there was roughly €6.5 billion of issuance in the market for significant risk transfer (SRT) deals, sources say, with the last three months understood to be the busiest quarter on record

Demonised triple Bs could outshine angelic neighbours
There has been a stampede to denounce triple B corporate credit, but investors ditching this rating band may not only miss solid returns but find bigger problems up the spectrum, investors and analysts tell Creditflux.

Direct lender suspends withdrawals amid large loan default, reports Bloomberg
A borrower comprising 25% of a direct lender's portfolio has defaulted on a loan - leading to the fund suspending withdrawals and redemptions to investors

Ares grows credit 34% with direct lending boost, but high yield takes rough ride in Q4
Ares Management Corporation reported strong returns for its European direct lending strategies in the fourth quarter of 2018. But the firm's overall revenues slumped and its US loan funds and high yield strategies were hit by the volatile credit market 

Carlyle performance dips in Q4, but credit teams ride global volatility
Credit fund performance dipped for the Carlyle Group in the fourth quarter, as market volatility and fund outflows put a dent in the industry’s much stronger performance of the previous three quarters

Oaktree reports distressed gains over year despite Q4 losses
Oaktree was not immune from challenging fourth quarter globally. Its distressed debt strategy, for instance, returned a gross loss of 1.5%

Performing credit tops distressed credit for Blackstone, but credit AUM declines
The firm is looking to boost its direct lending business to gain $10 billion of available capital over the next couple of years

Apollo's credit funds report gains in 2018 despite Q4 slump
Apollo saw $21.6 billion inflows throughout the quarter leading to a record total assets under management of $280.3 billion. The firm, however, reported a net loss throughout the quarter 

Minnesota pension slates $200 million to private credit after strong returns over Q3 2018
Minnesota State Board of Investments has awarded a $200 million commitment to two private credit managers

Cash-CDS basis set for comeback after "falling knife" mishap, predicts BNP Paribas
The beginning of 2019 should revive interest among credit investors to trade the basis between cash bonds and credit default swaps, according to BNP Paribas strategists – following what they term “falling knife” dynamics in this year’s fourth quarter

Neiman Marcus loan slumps amid debt restructuring talks
The luxury fashion retailer’s $2.95 billion cov-lite term loan B, due October 2020, traded down 1.65%, according to IHS Markit 

24 CLO managers hold J Crew loan as it drops 4.62%
A total of 109 CLOs hold $219.4 million exposure to J Crew, whose Term Loan B traded down 4.62% from yesterday 

Tikehau’s private debt AUM hits €7.5 billion
Tikehau Capital, the Paris-based asset management and investment firm, has reached €7.5 billion in private debt assets under management (AUM) as of September 2018. This represents an increase of 17% for the third quarter, amounting to €1.1 billion  

Ares ups its target for US senior direct lending growth to $4.7 billion
Following $5 billion of inflows into global direct lending in the third quarter, Ares has upped the target for its US direct lending strategy 

Swedish pension fund's credit portfolio recovers with strong 2018 results
Andra AP-Fonden (AP2), the SEK 352.4 billion ($38.7 billion) state-owned pension fund, generated 5.6% absolute returns from non-domestic credit investments for the first half of 2018

US pension fund's credit performance stumbles with 2.3% 12-month return
Maryland State and Retirement & Pension System, the $51.9 billion public pension fund, generated 2.31% returns from its credit portfolio for the fiscal year to June 30, down from 10% the year before

Manager plays its cards right as top-performing hedge fund grows in size
A US credit hedge fund manager has grown the size of its credit vehicle amid a strong first half of the year

Goldman's BDC receives 95% shareholder approval for leverage increase
Following recent regulatory changes, the $1.23 billion Goldman Sachs BDC has received a 95% shareholder approval to raise its debt to equity ratio from a one-to-one to a two-to-one ratio

Credit drives strong returns for five of the largest asset managers in the business
Carlyle is close to hitting its ambitious fundraising target; direct lending has been kind to Ares; and Och-Ziff has decided to shed its US CLO risk retention stakes after exiting its financing agreements

Private credit helps drive returns for Alaska pension fund
The $64.9 billion sovereign wealth fund has generated 8.79% returns from private credit for the fiscal year ended 30 June

Credit boutiques shine bright in Morningstar’s list
Morningstar’s five-star rating has recently been bestowed on a number of boutique credit managers

79% of credit managers expect US high yield to widen, survey reveals
The International Association of Credit Portfolio Managers (IACPM) has revealed the results for its latest IACPM Credit Outlook Survey – and the outlook appears to be bleak