EU inflation prints frame challenge ahead as horror show first half ends
Financial markets are heading into the weekend with a rare stationary session, but the mood is more one of shellshock than considered positioning, after one of the worst first halves to a year on record

Manager selection stakes are heightening as CLO pain points intensify: Barclays
CLOs’ slump in market value and piling of distressed assets have made differentiation between managers much more acute on key metrics, regionally and by vintage, according to Barclays credit strategists

Credit lacks 'good answer' on what could cap spread widening: JP Morgan
Without any clear candidates to put a lid on spread widening, investment grade and high yield credit markets look set to extend much wider than current levels, warn JP Morgan strategists

CLO investors show more signs of optimism than other ABS: Barclays
CLO investors attending the Global ABS conference in Barcelona were more upbeat than those that work in residential mortgage-backed securities and other ABS, say Barclays securitised credit strategists. But the overall mood was sombre

Europe trades heavier than US as market baulks at new hikes
Credit spreads have resumed their push wider, with European indices once again under more pressure than their US counterparts

Credit rout eases as ECB holds emergency meeting ahead of Fed rates decision
Credit markets are undergoing a relief rally, even as the US Federal Reserve prepares to deliver its moment of truth decision on policy tightening and the European Central Bank holds an emergency meeting to address the recent sell-off in risk assets

Euro IG credit looks set to outperform US, HY and equities: Barclays
An outlook of elevated inflation and low growth favours credit over equities, and euro investment grade over high yield, according to European credit strategists at Barclays

Market jitters mount as US delivers May CPI
Credit spreads have moved sharply wider for the fourth day straight as investors digested the European Central Bank’s hawkish turn and watched with trepidation for the US to reveal its May consumer price index numbers

CLO top stack offers best value versus corp debt after junior tranche rally: Barclays
Having lagged in the recent market recovery, CLO triple A paper looks attractive versus corporate investment grade and the CDX IG credit derivatives index

BofA revises Euro CLO new issuance forecasts downwards
Bank of America CLO strategists have cut their base case forecasts for European CLO volume in 2022 to €22.6 billion for new issues and €10 billion for refi/resets, citing slower economic growth and higher tail risks. But further market disruption could take new issuance down to €16.5 billion, they warned

Russia oil ban accord unites markets in sell off
EU leaders’ compromise agreement on banning Russian oil imports by sea has presented a united front few may have thought possible only days ago. But financial markets have not reacted positively, with risk assets selling off as the euro slumps and oil hits its highest level since March

Fund outflows extend despite sharp improvement in credit performance
This has been a much better week for credit and equity market performance than last, but that has not stopped the tide of investors looking to withdraw their money from funds for such risk assets

Bespoke bond baskets on the rise as investors seek targeted portfolio trades
High yield index replication and accessing illiquid exposure are two factors building momentum for a new investment approach that bundles bonds into a single risk piece

Credit fund bleed out looks hard to stem, as hawks ignore macro gloom
Ever more investors are running to safety as risk assets tally up another rough week, with strategists warning there is no end in sight for credit fund outflows while central banks hold their course on rate hikes

Credit retreats from wides, but worrisome test levels remain in view
Another rocky week for markets is ending with credit finding a firmer tone. But big questions remain unanswered about relative value and the levels some sectors could test

Post-Fed volatility prompts stark reassessment of credit relative value
Central bank policy moves have caught markets off-guard, with volatility ensuing and spreads hitting new wides 

German real estate co troubles mount on short-seller response and earnings no-show
Friday is proving a bad day to end a bad week in a bad year for Germany's Adler Group, with debt risk measures hitting new levels as short-seller Viceroy responds to the firm's recent investigation by KPMG and the market rumour mill goes up a gear

High yield / loan slowdown affects year-end projections and pricing: Barclays
A sharp decline in primary market activity means expectations for high yield bond and even leveraged loan issuance need to be lowered, say Barclays credit strategists. And that in turn has implications for relative value

CLOs look attractive after corporate rally - but not all tranches: Barclays
Rallying corporate cash credit spreads over the past two weeks have widened the basis with CLOs and made these products look attractive again, according to Barclays strategists

Hidden loan tail risks and mounting single B exposure could pose problem for CLOs: Barclays
A solid rally for leveraged loans this week - against returning weakness in bonds - has put focus back on the market, which seemingly has little tail risk priced in. But short term support factors and a dwindling triple C bucket mask the quality skew, warn Barclays strategists in a note today - which could spell downgrades for single-B minus rated loans

European CLOs well-placed to counter volatility: Fitch
High inflation could hamper borrowers, but European CLOs are in decent shape with most loan issuers having refinanced last year, according to a report by Fitch Ratings. Other parts of structured credit are not as well insulated against risks. 

Volatility has teed up decompression trades: Barclays
Recent credit market turbulence has brought relative value trading opportunities between cash bonds and CDS, credit and equity as well as between investment grade and high yield, particularly in Europe

CLO mezz investors are homing in on documentation: Morgan Stanley
European CLO mezzanine investors paid close attention to documentation over the past 12 months, with junior overcollateralisation test criteria, weighted average life extesions and approval for collateral quality key areas of focus, say Morgan Stanley strategists

CLO equity could get hurt by mismatch in credit spread adjustments: Barclays
The possibility that borrowers and sponsors start to use their clout to scrap credit spread adjustments from leveraged loans poses a risk for new CLO equity, while legacy deals also face transition challenges

Impact of Russia-Ukraine war on Euro CLOs will be indirect, finds BofA
European companies largely do not have much direct exposure to Russia or Ukraine, but pricing and inflationary pressures may impact companies