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Franklin Templeton Investments is seeking to add new euro-denominated high-yield issues and to pick up U.S. high-yield names in the secondary market. Atanas Christev, high-yield portfolio manager, who manages E33 million in mainly euro-denominated high-yield bonds, says he is considering adding the upcoming issue from C.P. Ships. The shipping company has strong positions in the Trans-Atlantic business, and, although shipping is a very cyclical sector, Christev is relatively comfortable with the credit. He says he likes to buy bonds with coupons in the 9% range. "When we get issues that begin to perform very well and yields tighten, we look for replacements," he says. Templeton uses the Merrill Lynch euro high-yield index as its benchmark, because it includes U.S. issuers as well as European ones.

The latest IR On The Net, the weekly e-version of the monthly Investor Relations magazine, contains a sponsor's statement offering the following business advice: "To instill trust over a conference call, it helps to have trust in the conference call." The sponsor banging on about trust? WorldCom.

The Deal Roll-off Chart, provided by Capital DATA Loanware, lists the 50 largest leveraged credit facilities in the U.S. market that are due to mature in the coming month. It is designed to provide a look at potentially available money in the market as credits are renewed or retired.

Paul Roland, portfolio manager with QCI Asset Management, says he will rotate 5% of the firm's portfolio, or $15 million, from agencies into corporates in anticipation of the economy showing signs of recovery, hopefully within three months. He says he will look at signs of inventory buildup and improved final demand as well as a steeper yield curve. He notes that as corporate spreads are wide and the recovery is underway, corporate spreads are bound to come in.

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.

* "It's certainly the 'in' thing to do."--Thomas Donnelly, senior v.p. at GE Capital, on having an active loan sale program.

Campbell Newman Asset Management is seeking to sell two- to three-year Treasuries in its intermediate and broad market portfolios in order to buy five- or six-year Treasuries. Jeff Bryden, a portfolio manager overseeing $325 million in taxable fixed-income, says the firm wants to take advantage of the steep slope in the short part of the curve. On June 21, two-year Treasuries yielded 2.86%, versus 4.04% for five-year Treasuries, and 4.77% for 10-year Treasuries. Bryden says the trade could represent up to 5% of the assets in the intermediate and broad market portfolios he oversees. He would not be specific about a trigger for the trade, saying only that it is something he is actively considering, depending on his perception of the economy and the holdings in individual portfolios.

Pacific Investment Management Company, the 800-pound gorilla of the institutional money management industry with assets in excess of USD253.7 billion, plans to issue its first synthetic managed collateralized debt obligation. The CDO, named Channel, will be referenced to a USD1 billion portfolio of credit-default swaps and cash instruments, according to a market official familiar with the transaction. Officials at PIMCO and Goldman declined comment.

Adelphia Communications filed for bankruptcy last week but, because investors had anticipated a Chapter 11 filing, levels for its different bank facilities did not fluctuate drastically. Traders said the name was relatively quiet, although some of its Century Cable paper moved in retail. That paper was believed to have traded in small pieces in the 75-80 range, wider than the 79-80 range quoted the previous week.

Alliance Imaging took advantage of current investor appetite for the company's paper to revisit the bank market and gain cheaper pricing on its term loans. According toHoward Aihara, corporate controller, the Anaheim, Calif., provider of outsourced diagnostic imaging services took its cue from the performance of its public bonds, which were trading at 106-107. "The debt markets looked receptive," Aihara said, adding that the company decided to proceed with the refinancing following discussions with its Deutsche Bank-led bank group.

Ameristar Casino has amended its credit facility to secure lower borrowing costs. The Las Vegas-based gaming company was looking to bring its interest costs in line with the market and a peer group with comparable credit numbers, according to Thomas Steinbauer, cfo. The company was able to obtain the better pricing because of an improved credit profile, he said, noting that Ameristar's debt-to-EBITDA multiple has decreased from 5.15 times to 4.15 times and its senior debt-to-EBIDTA ratio has decreased from 3 times to 2 times. The company was able to lower its leverage ratios through a combination of increased operating cash flow and debt reduction using $95 million of the proceeds from a November 2001 equity offering.

Distressed traderDennis Lafferty is the latest player to leave Goldman Sachs' loan desk. Market sources said Lafferty joined Deutsche Bank last week as a v.p. responsible for trading distressed bonds. He will report to John Shippee, managing director for distressed products. Ted Meyer, Deutsche spokesman, confirmed Lafferty's arrival. "We have been expanding distressed products over the past three years," he said, noting that the group now has 65 traders worldwide.