We’re looking at a multi-year M&A uptick – Morgan Stanley head of private credit and equity David Miller
PODCAST: Speaking on the latest episode of Credit Exchange with Lisa Lee, Miller highlighted the impact of the large amount of fundraising and deployment that occurred in the 2020-2022 period as significant for his positive outlook

Cadwalader eyes CLO comeback post-merger
EXCLUSIVE: Cadwalader confirms plans to remain in the CLO business, and hopes to expand its client offering after the Hogan Lovells merger

M&A dealmaker denial over world’s ‘morbid symptoms’ risks rude awakening – Continental Drift
OPINION: Deal bullishness rules as geopolitical rupture rocks Western world; Carney draws line under old world order with Davos intervention, as inflation, consumer weakness and credit signals point to shaky reality

Loan market steams ahead with new launches as more deals line up in Europe
Flex-downs abound, but Hologic’s sub-300bps spread raises eyebrows, while performance in focus for Archroma, Seqens and Lipton Tea

Rising tide swells deal flow as 2026 M&A wave grows
Tech, healthcare, financial services dominated 2025 deal flow, as US inbound soared; UK, EU policy stability, German defence spending support 2026 European deal sentiment

Wafra backs European private credit manager with minority stake
The Kuwait-linked alternative asset manager made the investment in Ardian via its strategic partnership program

Amundi to take ICG stake as the two launch a private wealth partnership
The two firms will start by creating a private debt European evergreen fund and private equity secondaries-focused European evergreen fund

Evolving M&A is transforming the capital formation landscape – KKR
'Critical' link between M&A and credit is set to fuel growth in private markets

Churchill’s survey of private equity firms suggests M&A is returning to normal levels
Senior PE executives are confident in both deal activity and returns

AXA Prime, Mubadala take stakes in Hayfin as more private credit firms welcome outside investors
Private credit managers selling GP stakes to third parties has become more common as managers seek ways to spur additional growth

Blackstone inks new private credit partnership with L&G
PRECIS: The partnership will see L&G gain access to IG private credit assets and the two firms create new public-private credit products.  

The M&A market is normalising – Ares’ Matt Theodorakis
PODCAST: “People are looking to do deals going forward” after taking a pause following ‘Liberation Day’, Theodorakis told Lisa Lee, managing editor at Creditflux, on the latest Credit Exchange podcast

PNC Bank to buy Aqueduct to grow fundraising service capabilities
The acquisition will add to the existing capital advisory services provided by PNC subsidiary Harris Williams

Clearlake launches Clearlake Credit to chase private and public credit investments
The new platform will integrate the newly acquired MV Credit and WhiteStar Asset Management

Bank-asset manager partnerships reach European shores
EXCLUSIVE: the recent announcement from Arini and Lazard shows how new entrants into the direct lending market might copy the US model of leaning on bank partners

CLO manager M&A driven by search for talent and scale

M&G to acquire majority stake in P Capital Partners
London-based investment firm to take 70% share in Swedish private credit business  

This time around, BlackRock will be poised to be a shaper of the move
USD 12bn seems a lot to pay for HPS. But BlackRock urgently needed to catch up in private credit

NY Life Investments acquires stake in European mezz specialist
New York Life Investments and affiliate Candriam has agreed to take a 40% stake in Andera Partners, a European investment manager specializing in PE investments and mezzanine debt

BlackRock acquires HPS in USD 12bn deal
BlackRock has acquired HPS Investment Partners for USD 12bn in an all-stock transaction, creating a private credit franchise with a combined USD 220bn in client assets

Fidelity Investments buys Fidelity International’s European CLO platform
Life has become a little simpler for CLO investors, as the two different Fidelity CLO platforms combine into one manager

PSL acquired by investment bank Houlihan Lokey
London-based CLO valuation service Prytania Solutions Ltd. (PSL) has been acquired by investment bank Houlihan Lokey

Wendel announces purchase of majority stake in Monroe Capital
French investment firm Wendel announced on Tuesday it has agreed to acquire 75% of US private credit firm and CLO manager Monroe Capital for USD 1.13bn, as part of its planned expansion into third-party asset management.

Deals and prospective deals create optimism about European M&As
After years of lacklustre activity, M&A and LBO green shoots are emerging in Europe

Clearlake Capital agrees to buy MV Credit
Clearlake Capital has agreed to purchase European credit manager MV Credit Partners from Natixis Investment Managers