Europe rallies hard after CDX IG closes tighter for first time since June
Volatility in credit remains heightened due to the coronavirus outbreak, but movement has become two-way, with European CDS indices surging tighter today after US index CDX IG ended yesterday’s session tighter than iTraxx Europe for the first time in nine months

Credit reels back to January 2019 levels as coronavirus impact spreads
A more positive opening for European credit today proved short-lived, as coronavirus developments caused the market to reverse its modest improvement early on to careen back to some of the widest levels in over a year

Credit traders’ kickstand: a year comes undone in a week as world faces coronavirus moment of truth
As the coronavirus outbreak reaches a 'decisive point', according to the World Health Organisation, one of most volatile weeks in recent memory has hauled credit spreads from their post-financial crisis tights to much wider levels last seen in the first half of 2019 and, in the case of emerging markets, more than a year ago.

Crossover hits widest print since September, 70bp back from the tights
iTraxx Crossover has surged 19bp wider today, according to IHS Markit, in a sixth successive session of coronavirus driven sell-off that takes the index to 273bp – 70bp wide of the post-crisis tight print it reached in early January

Bloodbath in primary as credit bleeds months of profit
Some primary market bond issues that investors lapped up in the heady weeks of January are being put to the sword as February ends, while the coronavirus-led downturn in credit has squandered several months of gains in the CDS market

CDS takes brunt of coronavirus panic sell-off
European credit derivatives are among the hardest hit assets today amid a broad sell-off, as the fast spread of the coronavirus into Italy, Korea and Iran has brought a reappraisal of the impact it could have on financial markets

Credit traders’ kickstand: weaker mood, but primary drive strengthens
The primary market for high yield bonds is open again, after a pause around the US holiday on Monday, with issues in Europe today from the likes of SIlgan and Catalent striking a bullish tone and setting the scene for an expected flurry of deals next week. But this comes as credit generally weakens, with concerns about the spread and reappraisal of coronavirus cases causing spreads to push back from their recent tights

LCH goes live with Sub Fin CDS clearing
Clearing house LCH has expanded its CDSClear service to clear the iTraxx Europe Subordinated Financials index and its 30 single name CDS constituents

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

Credit retraces wider as coronavirus weakens sentiment
Credit and equity are proving resilient as fears mount about the impact of the coronavirus outbreak, but there is weakness in the tone of both asset classes today

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

Crossover and senior financials lead widening on coronavirus uptick
iTraxx Senior Financial and Crossover credits are taking the brunt of a move wider today, along with slumping stock markets, as fears about the spread of novel coronavirus took another turn upwards

TUI enjoys 100bp two-week getaway
TUI is today’s biggest mover among constituents of CDS index iTraxx Crossover, after the Hannover headquartered travel company said it recorded its highest ever booking volumes in January – seizing market share after the collapse of UK rival Thomas Cook

UK financials push wider following Irish election surprise
UK and Italian financials are the weakest part of the credit market today, against an otherwise flattish backdrop, with the Irish general election result adding to concerns about how Brexit negotiations will fare this year

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

2020 will be about relative value, watching for idiosyncratic risk and a good deal of running away
Investors must embrace change — it’s time for structured credit investors to look beyond vanilla CLOs

Correlation rise stokes mezz rally but adds to CSO woes
Below the calm surface of the credit market, correlation has been churning and creating dislocations rich with reward for index tranche traders but complicating bespoke issuance, say sources.

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).

Fund performance: Presents under the tree as CLO funds perform

Ucits at a glance: Ucits end strong year on a high

Credit funds at a glance

You need a balanced portfolio that’s ready for calculated risk taking — so consider a barbell approach
Investors can’t afford to be too conservative as they prepare for the end of the cycle

It's imperative to remain in liquid assets and this makes CDS indices attractive

Italian financials put Europe's best foot forward as US outperforms
Financial credits are once again leading the way as the market continues this week’s sharp return rally

US races to catch Europe as rally opens CDS gap
US credit is playing catch-up with Europe in today’s session, after the iTraxx Europe CDS index opened a 4.5bp gap with CDX IG before the US market opened