Jefferies subsidiary and Stonyrock plan mid-market alternative manager stake acquisitions
The new joint venture will invest in private equity, credit, hedge funds, real estate, venture, and infrastructure firms

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

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

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 

Recent CLO debutant Vista brings in GSO official to lead credit team
Vista Credit Partners has hired a former GSO official to lead its credit team

Without a single dollar being raised, future loan supply dwarfs current demand by as much as 10 to one
There’s plenty to be spent on mid market loans, but it’s still not enough to cover the $1 trillion of financing likely to be required, says our columnist Randy Schwimmer

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 

BlackRock becomes latest manager to explore interval fund structure for credit
Several managers have hit the market with the interval fund structure, as investors look to invest in illiquid strategies through an illiquid fund structure

Stifel builds out leveraged finance team with big hire
The new unit will focus on origination, underwriting, and syndication of leveraged loans and high-yield securities

Star names join Barclays as it pushes into CLOs

Neuberger's Dyal acquires minority stake in HPS
Dyal Partners, a division of Neuberger Berman, has acquired a minority equity stake in global credit manager HPS Investment Partners

Orix acquires US mid-market lender NXT
Japanese financial services firm Orix, has agreed to acquire US mid-market lender NXT Capital

Michigan pension fund looks to commit $80 million to debt funds
The $114 billion Michigan pension fund is looking to commit to two private debt funds managed by London-based Kreos Capital and New-York headquartered MidOcean Credit Partners

Experienced CSAM holds off boutiques to win biggest prize
Credit Suisse Asset Management became a two-time winner of the Creditflux Manager of the Year award last month after picking up the 2018 trophy in front of a packed house at London’s Landmark Hotel on 9 May

HSBC asset management unit raises $800 million for global multi-manager loan fund
As a multi-manager fund,  the new vehicle aims to offer the benefits of fund-of-funds - diversification - but with a management fee comparable to a single manager 

Carlyle and Oppenheimer opt for interval fund structure as part of JV
The new private credit fund will invest at least 80% across loans and structured credit (Including CLOs), opportunistic credit, direct lending and liquid credit, SEC filings reveal

Canadian pension fund appoints head of credit
Toronto-headquartered Canada Pension Plan Investment Board has appointed John Graham as head of credit investments, effective 1 June 2018

Credit specialist poaches Goldman Sach's Eric Muller in New York
Credit specialist Oak Hill Advisors has hired New York-based Eric Muller from Goldman Sachs Group, according to a market source

Managers predict skill will win out
We asked managers to predict the year ahead across a range of credit strategies. Overall, they had a positive outlook. By Grace Jennings-Edquist

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Fund platform AMX eyeballs credit funds
Willis Towers Watson’s hedge fund platform has grown to $1.5 billion – and there is space for credit managers  

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