KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia ended higher on Friday in line with most Asian markets, mirroring gains from Wall Street, where investors welcomed the US Federal Reserve's substantial interest rate cut. The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose by 3.17 points, or 0.19 per cent, to 1,668.82 at the close from Thursday's close of 1,665.65. It opened 5.03 points higher at 1,670.68, trading between 1,668.48 and 1,674.04 throughout the session. In the broader market, gainers outpaced decliners 732 to 468, while 465 counters were unchanged, 850 untraded and 32 suspended. Turnover swelled to 4.19 billion units worth RM5.97 billion, from Thursday's 3.99 billion units worth RM4.08 billion. UOB Kay Hian Wealth Advisors head of investment research, Mohd Sedek Jantan, noted the FBM KLCI's gains were led by utilities, logistics, and banking stocks, reflecting improved market sentiment. Additiona
The rapid expansion of the $1.7 trillion private credit industry, which more than doubled in size since 2019, is now encountering significant headwinds. As the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates, the appeal of floating-rate debt is diminishing, posing a major challenge to this fast-growing sector.
Lower benchmark rates make fixed-income investments more attractive to investors than variable-rate private credit. This shift is expected to intensify as the Fed projects further easing later this year, potentially slowing private credit’s growth trajectory.
Adding to the industry’s woes are increased concerns from regulators, who worry about the spillover impact of any crisis in private credit on banks, which provide loans to private credit managers. Moreover, institutional capital allocations to private credit are stagnating, while falling oil prices could hamper Middle Eastern investments. New US regulations set to take effect in 2026 may also deter insurers from investing in this asset class, further tightening capital flows.
Another looming threat is a potential US recession, which could reduce deal-making activity and increase the risk of borrower defaults. Currently, private credit defaults stand at around 3-5%, driven by covenant breaches and loan modifications, according to Patrick Dennis, co-deputy managing partner at Davidson Kempner Capital Management.
Despite challenges, some positives remain. Lower interest rates could spur more deal-making, creating opportunities for capital deployment, provided the economy avoids a severe downturn. However, competition from traditional lenders seeking to reclaim buyout business adds pressure to private credit.
On the regulatory front, the Financial Stability Board and the European Central Bank are scrutinizing private markets, particularly the links between private credit firms and financial institutions. In Japan, the Bank of Japan is monitoring increasing exposures to global private credit funds.
In the US, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) will soon implement rules allowing regulators to assign stricter ratings to bonds and securities held by insurers, which could curb their appetite for private credit investments.
Any retreat by insurers, who have doubled their private credit allocations to 4% since 2019, would hinder growth in the sector. Insurance capital has been a significant driver of the market, but increased defaults in certain portfolios could lead to further regulatory intervention, potentially causing technical market disruptions.
Despite these risks, industry experts like Manish Valecha, head of client solutions at Angel Oak Capital Advisors, caution that the new rules could push insurers away from more aggressive investment structures, signaling a pivotal moment for the private credit industry.
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