Monday Market Minute | Aug 1, 2022

Private credit enters its golden era — base rates at 2.50% push all-in yields to decade highs

What Moved

With the BoC overnight rate at 2.50% following the historic July hike, Canadian private credit managers reported all-in yields on new originations reaching levels not seen since before the global financial crisis. Floating-rate portfolios that had been yielding 6-8% in early 2022 were now delivering 9-12%. Capital inflows accelerated as institutional investors and HNW allocators shifted from public fixed income — which had delivered historically poor returns in the first half — to private credit vehicles that were mechanically benefiting from every rate increase.

Why It Matters

The convergence of high base rates, wide credit spreads (as banks tightened lending standards), and strong borrower demand created what private credit managers described as a generational opportunity. For HNW investors, the asset class was delivering equity-like returns with senior-secured positioning and floating-rate protection. The critical caveat: credit quality selection mattered more than ever, as the same rate increases that boosted yields were also straining weaker borrowers.

Signal to Watch

Institutional allocator surveys on private credit targets — a structural increase in target allocations would confirm the shift from tactical trade to strategic reallocation.

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