The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that the fast-growing credit arm of Brookfield Asset Management led a $29-billion fourth-quarter fundraising windfall as investors continue to pour money into the market for private loans (all figures U.S.). The Globe's James Bradshaw writes that Brookfield raised about $20-billion through its credit division in the quarter ended Dec. 31, much of it from business units the asset manager has built over the past five years. The division, created over the past year, is now its largest business, managing $317-billion of the more than $1-trillion of assets the company oversees. The credit arm makes tailored private loans to corporate and commercial borrowers against real estate, infrastructure and assets such as equipment, consumer finance and even music royalties. The big investors in Brookfield's various funds have been keen to put money into private credit, which has produced good returns on higher interest rates even as other asset classes, such as real estate and private equity, had a harder year. Brookfield raised $9.2-billion in the quarter from its Oaktree funds and strategies, which stem from a 2019 acquisition. A further $6.6-billion came from insurance clients.