SocGen promotes cross-asset solutions specialist
Societe Generale has named a global head of economics, cross-asset and quant research

Big reverse rally as hopes rise for US stimulus
Credit markets are rallying sharply today, along with rising stocks, on expectations the US is about to deliver another stimulus package to help address the damage caused to its economy by covid-19

Relief rally follows relative value trading on US/Europe credit and tranches
Credit markets look set to end the week on a cautious retracement tighter, after several sessions of heavy reminders the coronavirus crisis is far from over and that sector/geographical selection remains important

Sculptor CEO Shafir to step down with CIO taking dual role
Sculptor Capital Management has announced that its chief investment officer will take also take on the role of chief executive officer, effective 1 April 2021

Covid-19 second wave fears drive divergence as spread widening accelerates
This week's credit market sell-off has picked up pace, along with a fall in stocks, after the US Federal Reserve painted a pessimistic picture for economic recovery and concerns mount about a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic

Market sell-off takes Europe on convergence path with US
Convergence between European and US credit has gathered pace, with the differential between both investment grade and high yield CDS indices reaching new recent tights

Intelsat CDS set for deemed auction today at 100% recovery
Intelsat Investments CDS will be settled today at 100% recovery through a deemed auction, the Determinations Committee has said

Convergence trades in focus as US high yield wobbles at the tights
US convergence with Europe is the theme of this week, at least in high yield, with CDX HY having narrowed to within 80bp of iTraxx Crossover 

PGIM prepares listed credit fund
PGIM is marketing a ‘flexible’ listed fund, dubbed PGIM Strategic Credit Fund , to invest at least 80% across fixed income

US lags as credit explores three-month tights
Credit markets in Europe and Asia have begun June on a rally to their tightest levels in nearly three months, with optimism over reopening economies outweighing concern about US/China trade negotiations. But US credit looks set for a more cautious opening, after a weekend of widespread protests and rioting

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

Volatility trading has room to run, say strategists, as market holds firm after rally
Big intraday swings have abated from the credit market, but spreads are finely poised in their mid-range positioning between the March peaks of the crisis and pre-crisis levels. According to strategists, this leaves plenty to play for in volatility trading

Intelsat CDS has no deliverables for an auction, says DC
CDS contracts referencing Intelsat Investments look to have no deliverable obligations, according to the Americas Determinations Committee, making a pay-out to protection buyers unlikely

Intelsat triggers bankruptcy credit event
Intelsat Investments has triggered a bankruptcy credit event, the Americas Determinations Committee has ruled

Idiosyncratic risk keeps traders on their toes as volatility abates
Global credit markets are ending the week at wider levels, after early gains, with optimism waning on the likely pace of recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and nervousness ahead of key economic numbers next week. But volatility has clearly abated from the picture, replaced by greater focus on some of the more troubled companies and sectors

KKR takes covid-19 hit on flagship credit funds and lev fin
KKR took a 16% hit to returns on its alternative credit flagship funds amid the first quarter coronavirus downturn and a 13% loss on leveraged credit, taking these into negative territory for the last 12 months. The firm's private equity portfolio also slumped by 12%

On-site due diligence rules pose fundraising challenge
Stipulations in some fund limited partner bylaws dictating strict due diligence could pose a challenge for asset managers, sources say

Credit finely poised despite German affront to ECB bond buying programme
Credit markets have hit a moment of near equilibrium, with little change in most spreads, as the market seeks firmer answers to questions lockdown easing, earnings, oil supply/demand and political stand-offs

US-Europe relative value gap closes as market sell-off resumes
Credit markets are heading wider into the weekend, with European underperformance closing a relative value gap that had opened with the US last Friday. The moves accompany detoriation in equity markets, stoked by the threat of a renewed US-China tariff war, pressured bank results, airline job cuts and poor UK economic numbers

Mood lifts on stressed credits as European high yield leads rally
Some of the widest trading companies in European credit made a sharp move tighter on hopes of government support extending into high yield, as rallying momentum picked up this morning across the market before a US-led reversal

Autos dominate in BofA €25 billion fallen angel watchlist
Downgrade impact for fallen angels in the coming months could be more extreme than during the 2008 financial crisis, Bank of America strategists have warned, as they identified €25 billion worth of debt at European investment grade companies most at risk of falling into high yield territory

Selecta and Southwest battered as market trades flat as a pancake
Single name credit movements are taking focus as market volatility abates, with Selecta Group and Southwest Airlines earnings putting them among the biggest wideners

Europcar on the move with Spanish and shareholder support
Europcar Mobility Group is among the biggest movers today in bonds and CDS, after the French car rental company obtained Spanish government support and shareholder Eurozeo confirmed it would take part in a financing plan