CDS data snapshot: central bank positioning and index rolls drive flows
Welcome to the inaugural run of what will become a weekly insight into credit derivatives trading. Each week, Creditflux will highlight trends and dynamics from most recently available market data. We welcome feedback on measures of the market readers would like to see here in future

US credit managers make ESG breakthrough after taking a first step via UNPRI
Incorporating a framework for investing in companies based on environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors is a challenge that US credit managers are accepting in growing numbers

DC makes inverted engagement with Top Gun CDS auction amid settlement challenges
The EMEA Determinations Committee has reconsidered its decision not to hold an auction for CDS referencing Top Gun Realisations 61, after market participants complained of challenges in settling transactions on the defaulted entity

Australian pension fund hires head of ESG
The Australian Catholic Superannuation & Retirement Fund has appointed Louise Bradshaw to lead the pension fund’s initiatives in regard to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investments

Nordea AM portfolio manager joins Capital Four
Capital Four Management has appointed Nordea Asset Management portfolio manager Stine Milling Pilegaard as a director in its Copenhagen office

If you can stomach volatility, CLO equity is very attractive

Credit traders' kickstand: Financials lead compression as pre-ECB and index roll bulldozers flatten spreads
Caution does not appear to be an operative word in financial markets ahead of next week’s key European Central Bank meeting, with financial names leading the way as credit spreads return to this year’s tightest levels and stocks ascend towards post-crisis peaks

Helicopter money is more productive than sponsoring the next bout of company share buybacks
The ECB is set to recommence its asset purchase programme, but what’s wrong with putting money directly into the hands of people?

Guidelines fail to assuage fears over loose reporting standards
The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute’s new hedge fund reporting guidelines come into play next year, but some say they fall short of a much-needed overhaul.

Four sectors most favoured by bullish resumption of QE, say BAML strategists
Autos, healthcare, media and real estate bonds are likely to be the biggest initial beneficiaries if the European Central Bank reinvigorates its corporate sector purchase programme (CSPP) next week, say Bank of America Merrill Lynch credit strategists

Five-year bespokes movement leads to managed CSO talks
Longer dated synthetic bespoke tranche business could soon receive new impetus, with dealers and investors ramping up talks about re-establishing managed portfolios as a common feature of the CSO market.

Ucits at a glance
A round-up of ucits fund performance

Creditflux to host first ESG-focused event in London
Creditflux is pleased to announce its first conference dedicated to environmental, social and governance-focused investing. The half-day event takes place at The Waldorf Hilton in London on 17 October as part of Debtwire Week.

Return to quarterly rolls advocated as CSOs hit dry patch
A marked drought of synthetic bespoke activity since July largely results from caution ahead of the September CDS roll, say investors, with some suggesting a return to quarterly rolls for single name contracts should be considered.

‘Ex’ index trades take off as dispersion peaks
A gap is yawning between how the weakest constituents of CDX HY and iTraxx Crossover trade versus their broader portfolios, leading investors to find new ways to hedge and capture idiosyncratic risk.

Credit funds at a glance
A round-up of fundraising and people moves in credit

Fund performance
A round-up of fund performance

Top Gun triggers credit event, but there's no debt in the barrel
Top Gun Realisations 61, a New Look retail group private limited company that was previously named New Look Bondco I, has triggered a bankruptcy credit event, the EMEA Determinations Committee has ruled. But no CDS auction will follow since the reference entity has no debt outstanding

ICG brings in managing director for client-facing role spanning Austria and Germany
ICG has appointed Julia Beinker as managing director to expand the firm’s client base in Austria and Germany

Esma publishes final guidelines for alternative and Ucits fund liquidity stress-test
Fund managers have just over a year to comply with liquidity stress test final guidelines published yesterday by the European Securities and Markets Authority (Esma) for alternative investment funds (AIFs) and undertakings for the collective investment in transferable securities (Ucits)

LCH's French unit adds first Japanese clearing member
Mizuho has signed up as the first Japanese clearing member of LCH SA, the French clearing unit of London Stock Exchange-owned LCH Group

Credit traders' kickstand: Europe ascendant as high yield pipeline returns
The high yield bond primary market grinds back into gear this week just as European credit reaches an extreme point of outperformance over the US, and comes on the back of Europe’s busiest week of investment grade issuance in 18 months

Determinations Committee to rule on maverick bankruptcy credit event
Top Gun Realisations 61, a New Look retail group private limited company that was previously named New Look Bondco I, is under consideration for a bankruptcy credit event trigger, after the Determinations Committee accepted a request to rule on the matter

Last of GSO's co-founders departs
It's the end of an era as GSO Capital Partners co-founder Bennett Goodman (the 'G' in GSO) will step down from the firm at the end of the year 

Steinhoff credit event auction finally in sight after restructuring concludes
A long-awaited auction to settle CDS referencing retailer Steinhoff Europe has moved a step closer, with the EMEA Determinations Committee noting the restructuring effective date has happened and the company voluntary arrangement (CVA) has been fully implemented