High yield and IG single names diverge even as buyside seeks macro neutrality
High yield and investment grade single names are moving in opposite directions at the start of the week, while indices reflect a push by investors to cut directional exposure to macro credit

Sovereign in scope as Russian Railways triggers first Ukraine-linked credit event
Russian Railways had triggered a failure-to-pay credit event, the Credit Derivatives Determinations Committee has ruled, making this the first sanctions-related credit event since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February

Investors weigh up Fed calendar and valuations after bruising week
Financial markets are taking stock on Friday after a big sell-off in risk assets, with credit spreads nursing the wounds caused by this week's returning focus on hawkish central bank policy versus rich-looking valuations

Blackstone lands big name as bank's synthetic structured credit talisman joins buyside
Blackstone has hired a well known figure from the synthetic structured credit market, with a prominent name in CSOs joining the firm after 18 years working on the sell-side 

Russia returns to default pricing as railway co awaits credit event vote
Russian credit spreads are once again under intense pressure and sanctions-related credit events are back under the spotlight as the country's state-owned railway company faces the scrutiny of the Emea Credit Derivatives Determinations Committee

US oil drive boosts credit, but property firm goes against the flow
US moves to increase oil supply have prompted financial markets to resume rallying, after Russia dampened optimism on peace in Ukraine. But one European company is moving sharply in the other direction

High yield gap yawns open after US index roll
A market rally ahead of Russia/Ukraine peace talks has added to the gap between European and US high yield credit derivative index spreads, a day after CDX HY rolled into a new on-the-run series

LCH extends credit index option product to buy side
BNP Paribas and JP Morgan are the first banks to offer client clearing of credit index options through LCH CDSClear

Russia extends rally as DC rules against repudiation / moratorium
Russian Federation CDS contracts rallied strongly for a second day on Thursday, after the Credit Derivatives Determinations Committee ruled a repudiation / moratorium had not occurred on the country's sovereign debt

Credit rally extends as investors welcome hawkish but clearer Fed message
Credit markets have carried their rally over to another day, fuelled in part by what investors have interpreted as a hawkish but clear message from the US Federal Reserve on policy tightening

HY index to only receive one fallen angel, as five rising stars leave for IG
The addition of rising stars from the high yield market will be a prominent feature of next week's CDX IG index roll. But changes listed for CDX HY suggest the reverse will not be true when it rolls a week later

China pledges and Russia/Ukraine peace hopes drive relief rally
Credit markets have surged tighter on Wednesday, with China's pledge to support covid-hit markets and hopes rising for Russia-Ukraine peace discussions ahead of US Federal Reserve policy moves that are widely thought to have been priced in

China's covid response fuels regional dislocation and slowdown fear
Asian credit divergence has extended into a second day, with China's move to address rising covid numbers driving regional spreads as investors elsewhere await a closely watched Federal Reserve meeting

Europe leads rally ahead of Fed despite mounting concerns from Asia
Credit markets have begun the week on a firmer tone, with Europe outperforming, despite concerns that rising covid-19 cases in China could add a further source of supply disruption

Rising stars and Russia drive credit index roll changes
Rising stars will feature prominently in this month's roll into new iTraxx and CDX index series, but the market's riskiest names will remain in high yield baskets while at least one company falls foul of its links to Russia

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

Russia’s long EM index tenure cut in one swoop
Various constituent changes have been tabled for the forthcoming March roll of CDX and iTraxx credit derivative indices into new series, but one stand out is the administrator’s decision to eject Russia from all series of CDX EM

Russia CDS won't be orphaned in credit event but could pay big, say investors
Contrary to a flurry of recent media reports, Russian Federation CDS contracts are highly likely to have deliverable bonds in the event the country triggers a credit event - and this could come soon with high pay outs for protection holders

MKP partner joins Orchard in new global distribution role
Orchard Global Asset Management has hired an experienced figure from MKP Capital in the newly created role of global head of distribution and investor relations

Nuclear power plant seizure amps up commodity chaos
The high volatility driven by Russia's invasion of Ukraine is taking financial markets to new extremes, with credit ending the week once again hitting new widest spreads since mid-2020

High stakes promise big year for new short-dated CSOs
The bespoke tranche market looks set to put in revitalised issuance numbers in 2022 as interest grows in structured assets. But a clear trend is emerging for investors to assume short-dated exposure amid increasing macro and geopolitical uncertainty

Traders eye expensive options as they look to get creative
Credit market volatility trades may look exceptionally expensive, but that is not stopping them being a prized tool for investors on a number of fronts — from hedging longer-term macro risks, through pre-March index roll positioning, to cross-asset relative value plays

Ucits at a glance: 2022 opens shakily but with a familiar lead
Ucits funds moved slowly into 2022 as 59% made negative returns in January

Credit hedge funds (March 2022)
Credit hedge fund returns

Investors brace for rare iTraxx versus CDX IG roll dynamics
Credit traders are gearing up for a highly volatile index roll in March that could bring rare relative value dynamics between CDX and iTraxx