Credit Rendezvous: Make yourself comfortable, there’s a storm coming
In our Q1 outlook, we speak to Edwin Wilches, PGIM (US CLOs), Mikkel Sckerl and Flemming Dose, Capital Four (European CLOs),  Jim Fitzpatrick, CQS (US loans), Loic Prevot, Polus (European loans), Madelaine Jones, Oaktree (global high yield), Art Penn, Pennant Park (US direct lending), Mattis Poetter, Arcmont (European direct lending), Keerthi Raghavan, Waterfall (structured credit), Ray Costa, Benefit Street (distressed), Grant Webster, Ninety One (Emerging markets), Oumar Diallo, Aeon (real assets) for their views for the upcoming quarter. 

Fund performance: Wake us up when September ends
After a resurgent August, credit markets hit a rough patch in September, with every Creditflux index posting negative returns, and only 12.9% of funds in our listings showing a positive return.

Millennium senior tranche trader jumps to Verition
An experienced synthetic structured credit trader has left Millennium Management in New York to join Greenwich headquartered Verition Fund Management

Squarepoint draws big name options market maker to buy side
An experienced credit options trader has decided to join the systematic and quant strategies manager in a change of career from working on the sell side

Ex-JP Morgan portfolio manager joins boutique as head of structured credit
A portfolio manager who worked in JP Morgan's chief investment office (2008-2014) and with experience across macro credit trading, relative value, index tranches, options and CSOs has resurfaced on the buy side

Squarepoint adds former bank credit trading head in London
Squarepoint Capital, a cross-asset fund manager that uses systematic and quantitative strategies, has hired a former global credit trading head at Societe Generale to lead fixed income, currencies and commodities alpha capture

Index tranche volumes go into overdrive as CSOs stall
CDS index tranche trading has gathered pace during the coronavirus pandemic, putting the asset class on course for a post-2008 crisis record.

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

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

Axiom makes big name correlation hire for credit opportunity fund
Axiom Alternative Investments has boosted its platform with the hire of synthetic credit veteran as a portfolio manager

CQS names CEO for its US business
CQS Asset Management has appointed Michel Brogard as chief executive officer of the firm’s US business

Pension fund set to vote on rescinding York credit commitment and cutting Tricadia
The investment committee at San Bernardino County Employees’ Retirement Association has recommended that the pension fund rescind its commitment to a structured credit fund managed by York Capital Management, and terminate its relationship with multi-strategy credit manager Tricadia Capital Management