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Nearly all of the performance measures indicate just how solid of a year the high yield market had, but perhaps the best one has to do with the growth in supply.

This chart, provided by Citibank/Salomon Smith Barney Inc., tracks bid-ask prices for par credit facilities that trade in the secondary market. It also tracks facility amounts, ratings, pricing and maturities.

Nomura International's London-based asset finance group is creating a fund to buy mezzanine classes of securitizations and bank loans the firm underwrites.

--John Roselli, senior manager of investor relations for Tyco International Group, comparing the old and new bank lines.

Hispamer, the consumer lending arm of Banco Santander, is aiming to return to the European securitization market next year after a one-year hiatus.

The structured finance market recorded another banner year in issuance, with total U.S. asset-backed issuance approaching the $400 billion mark in the final weeks of the year.

The last 12 months were glory days for many in the credit markets, as corporate bonds racked up double digit returns and defaults dropped amid the improving economy.

"Although bankruptcy reform has died more times than Kenny on South Park, we have no doubt it will, like Kenny, be back."-- Alex Roever , head of asset-backed research at Banc One Capital Markets , on the likelihood of bankruptcy reform becoming an issue this year (1/6).

The Bond Market Association last week released a slate of proposed suggestions for removing potential conflicts between fixed income origination and research.

Denis Gould, head of the sterling investment-grade team at AXA Investment Management, commenting on his firm's move to buy corporate bonds that offer relative value.

ABN Amro will arrange and underwrite a £1.75bn loan to support UK supermarket chain Wm Morrison's £3bn takeover of its larger rival Safeway. Syndication should start in the New Year.