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.

AT1s should be highly valued, not feared
Additional tier one (AT1) bonds stand out as a rich source of value this year, say portfolio managers, despite the shock headlines generated mid-February by Santander’s decision not to call a €1.5 billion note

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 

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

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

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

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 

Danish penion fund's credit portfolio returns to growth
ATP, the Danish pension fund, has generated a return of DKK 799m from its credit portfolio for the first three quarters of 2018, marking a recovery compared to the H1 negative return of DKK200m.  

Danish pension fund's bond and loan performances diverge
ATP, the Danish public pension fund, has made negative returns on its credit portfolio with its bond portfolio suffering 

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

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 debt tops the tables for Industriens Pensionsforsikring
Industriens Pensionsforsikring, the DKK164.5 billion ($25.7 billion) pension scheme, generated a 1.6% return from its private debt portfolio, according to its mid-year 2018 results

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

French manager liquidates share class on €167.2 million corporate credit fund
A Paris-based manager has jettisoned a share class on a €167.2 million corporate credit fund that invests in bonds, credit default swaps, shares and share options

Man Group's assets surge 3% in first quarter as the hedge fund hits $112.7 billion
Man Group, the world’s largest listed hedge fund, has reported a 3% rise in total assets in first quarter 2018 despite a weaker market for equities and momentum strategies

Structured credit specialists seek future-proofing in direct lending
At the turn of the last credit cycle, structured credit recovered spectacularly – but credit managers today seem to be gravitating towards private credit as the area to pick up excess returns in a downturn

Structured credit investors look beyond US RMBS
Re-remic, re-performing loans, non-performing loans and single family rental securitisations have come into favour as non-agency RMBS issuance dries up

Direct lenders pile into "turbocharged" market as fundraising skyrockets: report
Growth in the direct lending market in the 12 months to 31 December was “turbocharged,” growing robustly in the fourth quarter 2017 in particular due to a consistently growing Eurozone economy, according to Deloitte

European Commission introduces proposals to tackle high levels of NPLs
In a bid to address the high levels of non-performing loans that are sitting on bank balance sheets, and to reduce future accumulation of NPLs in the banking sector, the European Commission yesterday released proposals to try and tackle the issue.

High Ucits fees? Change strategy or face liquidation, report suggests
Substantially high fees on Ucits have led some funds to merge or liquidate, France’s stock market regulator says