The Globe and Mail reports in its Tuesday edition that Brookfield Asset Management and French bank Société Générale are launching a new private debt fund that aims to invest up to 10 billion euros ($14.6-billion) over the next four years, capitalizing on growing interest in high-grade private loans at a moment when traditional lenders are pulling back. The Globe's James Bradshaw writes that the fund will start with 2.5 billion euros ($3.65-billion) and focus on making private loans to investment-grade companies in industries such as power, renewable energy, data and transportation, as well as providing fund financing. The partnership between the Canadian manager of global assets and the prominent Paris-based bank is only the latest move into a fast-growing, $1.5-trillion (U.S.) market for private credit. By focusing on high-quality debt, they are looking to attract interest from selective investors such as insurance companies that are increasingly allocating part of their assets to private loans. Brookfield plans to invest its own capital as well as funds from institutional clients in the new private debt fund. Private credit is seen as an area of opportunity, as most loans carry floating interest rates.