Fed expands Main Street direct lending scheme but it's unlikely to help CLOs
The US Federal Reserve Board has expanded the scope of its Main Street Lending Programme following more than 2,200 letters of feedback. Under the third loan facility, lenders will hold 15% of the loan to borrowers with greater leverage

Fed to publish information on borrowers making use of the talf programme
The US Federal Reserve will disclose information about borrowers making use of its emergency facilities

SEC proposes new fund valuation framework
The US Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed a new framework for funds to determine fair value for assets for which market quotations are not readily available, which it says will "improve valuation practices and thereby protecting investors and improving market efficiency, integrity and fairness"

SEC temporarily relaxes regulations for BDCs
The US Securities and Exchange Commission has provided business development companies with temporary relief in light of covid-19 - including the ability of BDCs, who are unable to satisfy asset coverage ratios, to use an alternative form of calculating leverage

Fed commits $600 billion to SMEs in Main Street Lending facility
The US Federal Reserve has committed to buy up to $600 billion in loans to small and medium-sized businessness through its Main Street Lending Programme. The programme will sit alongisde the existing Payroll Protection Program (PPP), a separate facility exclusively for small businesses 

Fed backs new issue CLO triple As in amended talf programme
The Federal Reserve’s term asset-backed securities loan facility (talf) has been expanded to support CLO triple As

Investors watch Libor amid inter-bank liquidity concerns
After a freefall to 74 basis points on 12 March, CLO managers found some relief in watching Libor rise to 120bp during the second part of the month.

Trade body asks US government to show it CARES about BDCs
The US federal stimulus maintains existing regulations that exempt portfolio companies from accessing the stiumulus funds. The Institutional Limited Partners Association wants to change that

Delay on derivatives phase five initial margin roll-out is vital, says Isda
Regulators must agree to delay the roll out of the next initial margin phase because of the coronavirus pandemic - and notify the market soon, the International Swaps and Derivatives Association has said in a letter signed by 21 trade associations

SEC relaxes borrowing rules for funds affected by covid-19
The US Securities and Exchange Commission has granted registered funds temporary relief and flexibility to borrow capital from affiliates and enter into lending arrangements as they address the impacts of covid-19 on their portfolios

Fed accepts triple A-rated CLOs in new 'primary dealer credit facility'
The US Federal Reserve Board will establish a primary dealer credit facility on Friday (20 March) to help defend against the impact of coronavirus-led market volatility

Managers seeking bond buckets will need high yield track record
US CLOs could soon be permitted to buy corporate bonds amid an overhaul of the Volcker rule, but market sources say that in the short term bond flexibility is a luxury that will only be afforded to a select group of CLO managers.

CLO industry pushes back against NAIC's combo note proposals
A fight is brewing over the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ proposals to tighten regulations for insurers that buy purchase CLO combo notes

CLOs in line to benefit with Volcker rewrite on the horizon
The Volcker rule is set to get a shake-up and CLOs look likely to benefit, according to market sources. As Creditflux goes to press, a board of US regulators is expected to announce proposals to update the 2010 law.

BDCs feel squeeze on liquidity as SEC rejects plea for relief
Sources say that the chances of relief being granted to business development companies over the acquired fund fees and expenses (AFFE) rule are slim. Last month, industry body Coalition for Business Development stated optimistically that the “harm caused by the AFFE disclosure can be remedied in the final fund of funds rules”.

Volcker amendments will be good for CLO equity and bad for CLO debt, says Wells Fargo
Proposed changes to the Volcker rule announced last week by the Federal Reserve, which would allow CLO managers to hold 5% bond buckets, are positive for CLO equity and ‘marginally negative’ for CLO debtholders, according to a research paper from Wells Fargo

Fed gives green light to CLO bond buckets
The Federal Reserve has published a reproposal to the covered funds definition in the Volcker rule that should give a green light to the return of 5% bond buckets in US CLOs

Credit event protocol goes into force with 60 extra sign-ups
The International Swaps & Derivatives Association is going live today with a protocol aimed at stamping out narrowly tailored credit events from the CDS market, having signed up 1,358 entities

Four days left to join narrowly tailored credit event protocol
Those market participants yet to sign up to the International Swaps & Derivatives Association’s protocol on narrowly tailored credit events have until Friday to do so

Deadline just hours away for CDS users to sign Isda protocol
Midday New York time is the cut-off for market participants to sign up to the International Swaps & Derivatives Association’s protocol aimed at stamping out narrowly tailored credit events from CDS

Regrettably, a small number of CLO debt investors insist on ‘hardcoded’ Sofr replacement provisions
Sofr looks like the most likely candidate to replace Libor, but it is still risky to write it into CLO documentation

Over 1,200 sign up to CDS protocol
Plans to improve CDS market integrity have received a boost, with the International Swaps & Derivatives Association drawing a stronger than expected response to its protocol aimed at stamping out narrowly tailored credit events (NTCEs).

FisherBroyles hires derivatives and regulations specialist as partner
FisherBroyles, an Atlanta headquartered law firm, has hired derivatives and securities specialist Julian Hammar as a partner in its New York and Washington, DC offices

CDS traders get second extension on narrowly tailored credit event protocol
The International Swaps & Derivatives Association has extended for a second time the deadline for market participants to adhere to a protocol aimed at stamping out narrowly tailored credit events from the CDS market

Traders face Monday deadline for manufactured credit event protocol
Interested parties have until Monday to sign up to a protocol aimed at stamping out narrowly tailored credit events from the CDS market, with the International Swaps & Derivatives Association having given extensions on the original deadline