Basis and capital structure strategies zing for Xaia as market anomalies multiply
April was another challenging month for most funds. But some managers were able to take advantage of relative value opportunities and growing investor appetite for this form of investment strategy

PGGM pairs with pension fund Alecta to set SRT standards
The landmark co-investment partnership between Swedish pension fund Alecta and PGGM, the largest investor in significant risk transfer deals, has its roots in establishing a concrete set of standards for the SRT market, according to company officials

Index equity tranches show resilience in face of default spike
Lower credit index volatility in May refocused investor minds on idiosyncratic risk, with some give-up by previously outperforming equity tranches

Fund performance: CLO tranches move up
April returns managed a partial bounce back after a tumultuous March. 82% of funds listed in the Creditflux database made positive returns, showing at least small signs of recovery after 90% of all funds listed posted negative returns in March

Credit funds at a glance (June 2020)
A round-up of fundraising and people moves

Ucits at a glance: Ucits begin recovery phase
April returns prove positive for Ucits funds as 85% of those listed in the Creditflux database have moved into the black after a rough March

CSOs are hurting but will emerge stronger, say sources
It is unsurprising that bespoke synthetic tranches have suffered during the covid-19 crisis, as they are backed largely by real money investors that have gone outright long credit risk. But more noteworthy and reassuring, say sources, is that most have held firm in their positions and look set to stick with the asset class — in contrast to the 2008 global financial crisis exodus

Alecta partners with PGGM for SRT co-investments
Swedish pension fund Alecta has formed a co-investment partnership with PGGM to invest in significant risk transfers

CDX HY and tranches hit as Whiting protection buyers win big pay-out
Whiting Petroleum CDS have settled at a final price of just seven cents, meaning a 93 cents pay-out to buyers of protection on the Denver headquartered exploration firm

Frontier triggers credit event but HY equity tranches outperform
Frontier Communications has triggered a bankruptcy credit event, the Americas Determinations Committee has confirmed. This is the fourth credit event to hit recently off-the-run index CDX HY series 33, on which on-the-run index tranches are based and for which recoveries have so far been very low

Former JP Morgan credit prop trader relaunches credit hedge fund
Palm Lane Partners is relaunching – two years after the credit hedge fund manager looked to spin out of JP Morgan Asset Management

Short-dated CSOs touted as jump-to-default risk hits curves
The coronavirus outbreak has all but vanquished hopes of any regular CSO business getting done, but sources say bespoke portfolios of short-dated CDS could soon be in the offing as investors look to express a view on when the crisis will end.

High yield index widening drives equity tranche trades
The blow-out in corporate credit spreads is creating opportunities in the index tranche market.

Axiom freezes credit exotics fund as volatility roils CDS market
Citing market volatility, Axiom Alternative Investments has suspended subscriptions and redemptions to a fund that invests in credit derivative products such as indices, tranches, options and single name CDS

Brigade collects $100 million for 'senior tranche' SMA
Brigade Capital Management has won a $100 million mandate from Texas County & District Retirement System for a structured credit fund geared towards senior tranches

Credit managers hunker down as idiosyncratic risks persist
A slew of earnings reports from credit managers and business development companies shows that deal-making and performance are robust, but great importance is being placed on credit selection.

Dealers zero in on pair of managed CSO formats
The eagerly awaited introduction of ‘managed’ CSOs is getting closer, with hopes still alive for an inaugural deal before the end of March and consensus forming around two alternative approaches.

EIB buys mezzanine tranche in Commerzbank SRT
Commerzbank has launched a €1.5 billion significant risk transfer with the European Investment Bank (EIB) announcing that it has invested in the mezzanine tranche of the securitisation

Axa IM launches SRT fund after record-breaking 2019
Axa Investment Managers says it has held a first close on a fund that invests in significant risk transfers

Credit Rendezvous: the outlook in 2020 across a dozen segments of the credit market
Welcome to the Credit Rendezvous, the first instalment of a regular feature published by Creditflux that tracks credit market dynamics in a dozen segments from investment grade, liquid loans, CLOs and CSOs all the way through to distressed debt. We view this as the meeting point for credit specialists across strategies to share their perspectives

CSO arrangers take notes from success of CLOs
CSO arrangers are looking to follow the CLO template in more ways than one, with sources indicating that some dealers are looking to structure their deals in note format (as opposed to swaps).

CLO giant casts eye on CSOs with plans to hire credit derivatives trader
An asset manager with almost $40 billion in CLO investments is looking to hire a credit derivatives trader in Newark in a role which would include coverage of index tranches and CSOs

Jefferies shelves structured synthetic plans as key man departs
Jefferies has put on ice its plans to build out a synthetic CDO origination, structuring and trading unit, having parted ways with the veteran specialist tasked with driving the venture

Change at top for Citi correlation trading as head assumes chief risk officer job
A long-serving managing director at Citi has taken sole charge of correlation trading, after the previous head of credit correlation moved to a newly created role

Apollo CLO and CSO specialists earn promotion to partner
Apollo Global Management has promoted two members of its global structured credit team, according to market sources