Leading fund: Lupus Alpha CLO Opportunity Notes I
Single-B CLO trades boost Lupus Alpha asset Management

Barings goes global with new mid-market strategy after rapid fund raise
Barings says that it has raised $1.3 billion for a new middle-market credit fund after less than six months on the marketing trail

Abraaj steps up fundraising for new $500 million global credit fund
The International Finance Corporation is looking to make a $20 million allocation to a new credit fund being launched by Abraaj Group

Think outside the box
While the US market credit is the most liquid and the UK is considered the home of European direct lending, there are opportunities further a?eld

Hayfin raises €2.2 billion for special opportunities strategy
Hayfin Capital Management yesterday announced that it has completed fundraising for its new special opportunities strategy

Beechbrook UK fund hits 51% deployment mark
Beechbrook Capital’s UK direct lending fund is now 51% invested with the London-based manager noting that it has now deployed £77 million ($98 million) from its UK SME Credit I fund

Partners Group tops €1 billion for new multi-asset credit programme
Partners Group says that it has raised €1 billion for what it describes as a multi-asset credit programme

Things aren’t always what they seem
Buy CLO triple As but don’t be fooled by diversity scores; take a look at credit index futures if you need liquidity; and watch out for quasi-mid market loans appearing in CLOs

Permira adds investment for its latest direct lending fund
Permira Debt Managers has made a loan as sole lender to finance 21 Centrale Partners’ acquisition of French software company DL Software

Direct lenders look to spread their wings and cross the Atlantic
Middle-market lending is becoming a global business amid talks of JVs

Investing ethically is worth it
Managers could see less volatile returns as a result of their increasing adoption of ESG-friendly portfolios; meanwhile direct lending is spreading across Europe

BlueBay, Brightwood and Permira win private debt mandates
BlueBay Asset Management, Brightwood Capital Advisors and Permira Debt Management have been tasked with overseeing a London pension fund’s direct lending portfolio

Aviva adds two to its infrastructure debt team in London
Aviva Investors has announced two hires to its infrastructure debt platform

Direct lending shows signs of growth in continental Europe, finds Deloitte
Deloitte has released its latest Alternative Lender Deal Tracker report in which it highlights that 267 direct lending deals took place over the course of 2016 – an increase of 2% on 2015’s volumes

Move up the stack to avoid implosion
Pundit warns investors to be concerned about return of their principal – but senior loans may be a safe haven as credit yields are squeezed and high yield becomes crowded

Direct lending specialist tipped to join Permira in London
Market sources have told Creditflux that an experienced direct lender has left a large credit manager ahead of a move to Permira Debt Managers

Pension fund allocates £40 million to UK direct lending fund
Strathclyde Pension Fund has emerged as one of the investors in a new UK-focused direct lending fund

Former BlueBay partner establishes direct lending firm after key hires
The former head of German direct lending at BlueBay has launched a new firm with backing form a German private equity firm. He has hired former Barings and Park Square officials to support his new business