Maryland pension carves out private debt bucket
The Baltimore pension fund has also mandated a total of $25 million to one direct lending fund and one distressed debt fund 

Texas pension fund looks to top up credit portfolio
Texas County & District Retirement System (TCDRS) has decided to increase by 3% its target allocation to strategic credit  

Searchlight nears first close for $2.75 billion special situations fund
Searchlight Capital Partners is expecting to hold a first close for Searchlight Capital III April, according to documents seen by Creditflux

Shenkman targets $500 million for opportunistic credit fund
Shenkman’s opportunistic fund will aim to take advantage of the volatility in the market

Credit funds at a glance

A round-up of fundraising and people moves in credit

Now the drugs don’t work, they just make you worse

Windstream CDS settles higher than expected amid big physical settlement orders
Windstream Services CDS contracts have settled at a final price of 29.5, presenting a big pay-out for holders of protection but not quite as rewarding as bond levels had projected

Debevoise & Plimpton hires three fund partners from Linklaters
Debevoise & Plimpton has strengthened its funds practice with the appointment of three partners in its New York office

Dealers line up to settle Windstream CDS today
Dealers will today hold a credit event auction to settle CDS referencing Windstream Services, with Morgan Stanley added to the list of participating bidders

Californian pension reveals 2019 private credit plan
Ventura County Employees’ Retirement Association is considering committing up to $80 million to private credit funds, following a recommendation of its investment consultant NEPC  

GSO makes senior hire to lead distressed trading
GSO Capital Partners has bolstered its distressed trading desk with two hires 

US pension backs Vista credit fund
Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) has approved a $50 million commitment to Vista Credit Partners Fund III, according to documents from the March board of trustees meeting  

US institution eyes credit as part of private equity expansion
University System of New Hampshire (USNH) looks to add credit commitments into its private equity portfolio, as part of the asset class new target allocation.

Former Whitebox duo to tackle distressed debt with new asset manager Invictus
Two former Whitebox employees have teamed up to launch Invictus Global Management

Challenge rejected on cheapest-to-deliver bonds for Windstream CDS auction
The Americas Credit Derivatives Determinations Committee has unanimously rejected a challenge by a market participant against allowing some of the cheapest Windstream bonds to be delivered into an auction to settle CDS referencing the company

Brookfield strikes deal to buy 62% stake in Oaktree
Brookfield Asset Management has agreed to buy a 62% stake in Oaktree Capital Management in a move which will lead to the creation of one of the largest asset managers in the business.

Windstream CDS auction delayed by two weeks
An auction to settle CDS referencing Windstream Holdings has been postponed by two weeks, after dealers on the Americas Credit Derivatives Determinations Committee agreed the process needed more time

Texas pension fund creates new credit bucket
The Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS) has approved a 3% opportunistic credit allocation, according to documents from an investment advisory committee meeting in March seen by Creditflux  

US pension fund earmarks $375 million for various credit strategies
Massachusetts Pension Reserves Investment Management Board (Mass PRIM) has committed $125 million to distressed, $100 million to aviation investments, while earmarking $150 million for structured credit    

Managers swoop on largest DIP in years
San Francisco-based Pacific Gas & Electric has tapped $5.5 billion of debtor-in-possession financing. Restructuring is likely to be fraught, but ten CLO managers have bought the loans

Dealers set Windstream credit event auction date
An auction to settle CDS referencing Windstream Holdings will take place on Monday, 18 March

Isda tables plans to rid CDS market of narrowly tailored credit events
After lengthy deliberation, a working group of major firms is today set to publish proposals aimed at ridding the market of ‘narrowly tailored credit events’, whereby borrowers are persuaded to default on debt payments in order to trigger pay-outs for CDS holders

Windstream set for high CDS pay-out as DC picks initial deliverable obligations
Windstream Holdings CDS protection holders look set for a high pay-out, as the cheapest deliverable obligations into the defaulted company’s credit event auction are quoted in the mid-20s

Oklahoma pension backs Pimco's evergreen credit fund
Oklahoma Firefighters Pension & Retirement System has decided to commit $75 million to Pimco Private Income Investment Strategy, according to minutes from the US pension fund’s board meeting in January.  

Texas pension adds $50 million to distressed separately managed account
The managed account has reached a total of $300 million