Muzinich's Italian arm launches novel direct lending fund
Sources say that Muzinich will build a truly diverse loan portfolio for its Italian direct lending fund

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 

Tikehau pairs with Groupama for French and European SME debt fund
The new vehicle is anchored by European Investment Fund 

US pension commits $100 million to Apollo's hybrid private credit/private equity fund
Pennsylvania State Employees’ Retirement System has mandated $100 million to a multi-strategy fund managed by New York-based Apollo Global Management

Blackstone grows credit assets by 31% over year
The firm achieved strong fundraising in credit, taking credit-related assets under managment to $130.6 billion in the third quarter, a 31% increase year-on-year 

KSL holds $671 million close for second travel and leisure credit fund
KSL Capital Partners has held a final close for its second credit fund with $671 million in capital commitments

RiverRock prepares €1 billion European senior loan fund
Direct lender RiverRock European Capital Partners is targeting €1 billion for its latest European loan offering, Creditflux understands.

Direct lenders flock to Munich as German deal flow picks up
German private debt is attracting a growing number of fund managers. Market sources say that deal flow through the first half of the year was at 65% of 2017’s total and had surpassed the number of private debt deals executed by funds in each of the previous five years

Alaska pension fund puts $123 million to work following $1 billion credit platform launch
Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation (APFC) has made a $123.3 million commitment to a European direct lending fund

Full steam ahead: Italian railway workers' pension fund seeks private debt exposure
Eurofer, the €1 billion Italian pension fund, for railway workers, is seeking debt managers, with a focus on infrastructure, real estate or unlisted real estate companies.

Cairn adds to its SRT investment team in London
Cairn Capital has appointed Chris Cottrell as senior investment analyst

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

39% of private debt investors are underweight, but they're looking for opportunities
485 Investors have come together to reveal their thoughts about allocation, in a survey conducted by London-based investment consultant bfinance

Goodhart unveils new platform to invest in private debt and equity firms
London-based Goodhart Partners has launched a new platform to focus on strategic minority investments, predominantly in private debt and private equity firms.

Hamilton Lane hires business development official in Munich as it seeks DACH expansion
Hamilton Lane has appointed Martina Schliemann as principal and head of business development in the DACH region, in a bid to expand its presence in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Beechbrook edges towards first close for £300 million UK SME fund
Strathclyde Pension Fund has mandated £30 million to Beeechbrook UK SME Credit II, which will target a 8%-9% net IRR

Four private credit managers score as Arizona pension fund commits $250 million
The $9.78 billion pension fund has mandated nearly $250 million to four private credit managers, alongside additional commitments for co-investment opportunities 

CVC Credit hires managing director to private debt team in London
CVC Credit Partners has strengthened its European private debt team with a hire from ESO Capital

Italian bank completes SRT with European Investment Fund support
Banca Popolare di Bari has constructed a €174.5 million significant risk transfer (SRT) deal, which features a vertical risk sharing mechanism

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

Dyal buys minority stake in another private credit manager
Following a minority stake acquisition in HPS last month, Neuberger's Dyal has now attained a stake in another New York based private credit manager

Star names join Barclays as it pushes into CLOs

Italian pension fund seeks direct lending managers
Previndai, the €11bn pension fund for managers of industrial companies, has issued a notice seeking global and European direct lending managers

BlueArc brings in nearly $70 million for global private credit fund
At least 100 investors have backed the BlueArc Global Private Credit Opportunity Fund, managed by Atlanta-based BlueArc Capital 

KKR forms lending JV to target "clear need for UK mainstream housing development"
KKR and London-based Urban Exposure, a specialist residential development finance provider, have formed a strategic partnership and launched a lending joint venture to target significant opportunities in "mainstream housing throughout the UK”.