Private credit has emerged as an attractive asset class for investors. But the industry has attracted negative publicity, with critics calling it a ticking timebomb for the economy. In our cover story this month, Real Deals investigates if private credit can sustain its allure amid rising concerns (pages 6-7).

Elsewhere, with interest rates expected to come down and the refinancing of portco debt set to get easier, Xhulio Ismalaj reports on talk of a refinancing wave (see pages 8-9). And in our roundtable this month, we discover how lenders have kept deploying capital and supporting private equity firms in the face of stiffening market headwinds (see pages 10-17).

Also in this issue:

• Gaining territory: Ireland is upping its game as a fund jurisdiction
• Market tracker Q1 2024: Midmarket stars in modest first quarter
• Data insight: Charting UK regional dealflow across the last 12 months
• Vulture: Getting your priorities right, and when internal emails go external...

All the above plus our regular Deals in Focus, Funds in Focus and more from the Real Deals team can be accessed via the links below or the e-reader opposite. Happy reading!