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A European car manufacturer's captive finance company is planning to sell dealer floor plan securities, or bonds collateralized by the future sales of cars parked on dealers' lots.

The dozen Federal Home Loan Banks combined are expected to sell more long-term debt this year than Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Fiduciary Trust Company International has begun reducing its exposure to triple-B credits and may shorten its overall duration if yields on the 10-year Treasury drop below 4% in the next few months.

Gate Gourmet International's $165 million “B” loan held steady even as the company failed to make payment under its Swiss franc SFr372 million ($314 million) senior secured facility and an interest payment under its SFr268 million ($227 million) secured mezzanine facility that were due Dec. 31.

Catrock Capital Management is maintaining a defensive position in a high-yield market that appears fully valued as 2005 kicks off, and is putting cash to work in short-term investments.

The $350 million "B" loan for Intelsat filled up prior to a bank meeting last week, despite some buyside concern that too much satellite paper is circling the market.

J.P. Morgan has named John Rickert to head its European commercial mortgage-backed securities group.

ING has put its European loan management business ING Capital Management (ICM) up for sale.

After a gluttonous holiday season comes the subsequent dieting resolutions, but holders of Atkins Nutrititionals bank debt will be watching the performance of the company more than their own waistlines.

Armada Funds last week raised its duration to neutral from underweight on the view Treasuries will remain range-bound in the coming months.

--Sharon Manewitz, managing director at TIAA-CREF, on how her special situations team will have its hands full in the future.