TheLeadLeft

PDI Picks – 9/1/2025

Unrealised potential Investors are struggling to get as much invested in private credit as they would like, although there has been a surge in allocations from sovereign wealth funds. With three quarters of institutions under-allocated to private credit – according to Private Debt Investor’s H1 2025 Investor Report – there is a huge potential pool…

Back to School (Part One)

Getting our heads back into markets, we reflect this week on the shape of public equities and fixed income. The S&P 500 has gained about 10% year-to-date, less than half of the 20% return for the comparable period in 2024. Similar figures for the DJIA are 7% and 10.5%, respectively.  Ten-year Treasurys bottomed out a…

The Force Awakens – Churchill 2Q Private Equity Survey (Part Two)

In response to our Reflections on Wimbledon two weeks ago, a long-time Lead Left reader informed us that the famed tournament is expanding. While we had opined “no one is building new grass courts,” he learned that the All-England Club has purchased an adjacent 100-acre golf course. “Subject to zoning approvals,” he wrote, “plans include […]

Debtwire Middle-Market – 8/11/2025

Direct lenders leverage PIK loans for competitive gain While payment-in-kind (PIK) loans are uncommon in the broadly syndicated loan market, where cash interest payments are standard, direct lenders have consistently used them to offer cash flow flexibility to borrowers…. Subscribe to Read MoreAlready a member? Log in here...

Covenant Trends - 8/11/2025

Percentage of Deals with 75+ bps MFN (Past performance is no guarantee of future results.) Contact: Steven Miller smiller@covenantreview.com

Middle Market & Private Credit – 8/11/2025

U.S. Private Credit and Middle Market Performance Monitor: 2Q25 Click here to learn more. Fitch’s Privately Monitored Ratings Portfolio, Rating Activity The issuer-weighted TTM default rate for PMRs rose to 9.5% in 2Q25 from 7.8% in 1Q25. Fitch recorded 28 unique defaults for the TTM period, up from 23 in 1Q25. This is the highest…