Market conditions should drive bond investors to floating-rate loans

Larry Holzenthaler, an investment strategist and analyst at Nuveen who specializes in floating rate and high yield investments says that income-oriented investors who have allocations to junk bonds are likely under-allocated to loan funds, which offer equal returns with less risk. Holzenthaler says the floating-rate opportunities are particularly attractive in closed-end funds, thanks to persistent discounts -- despite more interest in loans -- that let investors buy the economic earning power of a dollar in loans, plus leverage, for about 95 cents.