Debtwire’s seventh annual North American Distressed Debt Market Outlook survey shows that investors are only cautiously optimistic for 2012 despite the recent increase in restructuring headlines and market volatility.

CSG Partners, a boutique investment bank, served as financial advisor to Marlin Network on its recent sale to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan. Marlin Network is now owned 100% by its employees.

Wellington Financial announced that it closed a $6 million venture debt financing for a Silicon Valley-based provider of social software and services.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals announced plans to syndicate a $500 million senior secured term loan B credit facility as a new tranche under its existing senior secured credit facilities to fund repayment of its existing $275 million revolving facility.

Eastman Chemical Company entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Solutia, a provider in performance materials and specialty chemicals. Debt financing has been committed by Citi and Barclays Capital, which are acting as financial advisors to Eastman on the transaction.

The U.S. Treasury Department announced the fifth and final disposition of securities within its SBA 7(a) Securities Purchase Program, which was launched as part of the TARP.

Bank of America is hiring more than 50 small business bankers in New England to provide guidance and counsel to local small business owners. The additions are part of the company’s previously announced plan to hire 1,000 small business bankers across the nation by mid-2012.

Officials with Access Point Financial, a full-service lending and advisory company focused on the hospitality industry, announced that the company has closed on a senior secured credit facility with Wells Fargo Capital Finance.

United Capital Business Lending said it will allocate $42 million to qualified, multi-unit Popeyes franchisees in 2012 and that the Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen chain designated United as one of its lending partners for the franchisor’s 2012 reimaging initiative.

New orders for manufactured durable goods in December increased $6.2 billion or 3% to $214.5 billion, the Commerce Department reported in its advance report.