Direct lending green shoots flourish despite fundraising plunge
Despite the headline figures, sources say European direct lending fundraising remains healthy and newcomers have a place to enter

Credit fundraising: managers build homes for real estate credit funds
The “largest ever real estate credit fund” was one of the fundraising highlights last month as Blackstone’s Real Estate Debt Strategies IV fund reached $8 billion on its final close

LP round up: $5 billion flows to credit as private market allocations increase
Global institutional investors allocated nearly $5 billion to credit funds this week, according to documents seen by Creditflux

LP round up: private credit drive gains momentum as Calpers backs Pimco
Private credit continues to be viewed as an attractive investment strategy for institutional investors, with four global allocators outlining new buckets, or increases to the asset class

Equita's second Italian private debt fund reaches €100 million first close
Italy’s Equita Capital has reached halfway to its target size on its second Italian private debt fund, after holding a €100 million first close on the vehicle

Amundi names head of €55 billion real and alternative asset unit following departure
Amundi has named a successor to lead its €55 billion real and alternative assets unit which includes real estate, private debt, private equity and infrastructure

Capza's hybrid debt equity fund reaches €450 million for first close
Capza has held a €450 million first close on its hybrid debt and equity fund, Capza 5 Flex Equity fund

Fiera rolls out private credit strategy with recent hires leading charge
Fiera Comox, an affiliate of Fiera Capital Corporation, has launched a new global mid-market private credit strategy

HIG hires ex-Alcentra official to lead European direct lending following departure
 A former managing director at Alcentra has landed at HIG Capital to head its European direct lending platform

LP round up: managers keep fundraising hopes high as GSO targets $7.5 billion for mezz offering
Institutional investors allocated $1.6 billion into credit this week, according to documents seen by Creditflux

Golding holds first close for private debt vehicle
Munich-headquartered fund-of-funds manager Golding Capital Partners has held a first close on almost €200 million for its private debt fund Golding Private Debt 2020

Direct lender Apera bolsters Munich office with UniCredit hire
Direct lender Apera Asset Management has appointed a principal in the firm’s Munich office focused on Dach (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) investments

LP round up: horseshoe does the trick for Pimco and other distressed managers
Institutional investors poured $2.7 billion into credit this week through 14 managers, according to board documentation seen by Creditflux

BNP Paribas AM collects €576.5 million for second European debt fund
BNP Paribas Asset Management has held a final close on its second European debt fund, BNP Paribas Euro SME Debt Fund II, which provides senior debt to small and medium-sized companies primarily in France, Italy and Belgium

EnTrust aims to onboard $1 billion for maritime direct lending fund by June
EnTrust Global is targeting $1 billion for a maritime direct lending fund, Blue Ocean Onshore Fund, and anticipates a final close in June

HIG bolsters European direct lending presence with Amsterdam hire
HIG WhiteHorse has appointed a former NIBC official to its direct lending team in Amsterdam, according to market sources

Park Square nears €1.5 billion final close for European junior debt fund
Park Square Capital is nearing the final close on a fourth European mezzanine debt fund, with the London-based manager collecting nearly €1.3 billion

EIB buys mezzanine tranche in Commerzbank SRT
Commerzbank has launched a €1.5 billion significant risk transfer with the European Investment Bank (EIB) announcing that it has invested in the mezzanine tranche of the securitisation

Hadrian Wall tumbles as board calls for wind down of direct lending fund
Hadrian’s Wall Secured Investments' board of directors has decided that a wind down of the fund with cash returned to shareholders would be in the best interest of shareholders, according to a company update

European unitranche deal flow increased 11% last year, finds GCA
European direct lending unitranche deals completed in 2019 increased by 11%, according to GCA Altum's Q4 2019 MidCap Monitor, marking a record year for the industry 

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.

Amundi joins forces with French bank to launch midcap loan fund
Amundi has partnered with French bank LCL to launch a mid-cap direct lending fund - and the fund has collected €130 million on its first close, just over half its target size 

EQT undertakes strategic review of credit business
EQT has announced a review of its credit business with the firm appointing JP Morgan to evaluate its 'strategic options', according to the firm’s Q4 2019 report

Alvarez & Marsal establishes European practice with senior hire
Alvarez & Marsal has established a Europe debt advisory practice and appointed ex-Marlborough Partners official Tim Metzgen to spearhead the unit in London

Park Square promotes four after departure of direct lending head
Park Square has announced four promotions to partner, which comes a couple of months after its head of direct lending Howard Sharp parted ways with the firm, as previously reported by Debtwire