Commercial lending

investors need to remember that speculative-grade companies aren’t immune from going bust, no matter how wide open the debt markets might be.

Pagaya Investments, which purchases loans from MPL platforms using AI-driven technology, is sponsoring a $423.9 million transaction, according to a ratings agency presale report.

Defaults have been milder than expected thanks to government relief and stricter underwriting. But with the crisis dragging on and policymakers unable to agree on a stimulus plan, loans to highly indebted companies remain at risk.

Money managers bargained away legal rights in exchange for higher returns in an ultra-low interest rate environment. Now they find themselves with precious little protection for their investments just as the pandemic is causing a wave of corporate bankruptcies across the country.

Deals, trends and research in structured finance and asset-backed securities for the week of Oct. 2-8

The San Francisco fintech, which is buying Radius Bancorp, will discontinue peer-to-peer lending and instead offer new products, like high-yield savings accounts, to its retail investors.

Money managers bargained away legal rights in exchange for higher returns in an ultra-low interest rate environment. Now they find themselves with precious little protection for their investments just as the pandemic is causing a wave of corporate bankruptcies across the country.

The ratings agency reported that the average percentage share of triple-C rated loans in CLO portfolios fell below 10% for the first time since March.

The quarterly numbers were boosted by $11.3 billion in new deals last month, the most active month for CLOs since April 2019.

Credit research analysts cite a "significant" drop in defaults since the 2Q and improving macroeconomic indicators.