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All Episodes

The NAVigator — 306 episodes

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Title
1

Kayne's Hamilton: 'Historic' oil drawdowns create energy infrastructure opportunities

2

Sit's Doty says rates will rise, peak and shift downward by year's end

3

CEF Advisors' Scott breaks down how bad news has impacted BDCs

4

Calamos' Freund: Concerns are 'distractions,' not market impediments

5

Enduring investment lessons from the legendary Mark Mobius

6

Liberty Street's Gutierrez on private investment trends in A.I.

7

Veteran manager says that for all the headline risks, this is a 'generic widening'

8

Despite scary headlines, low-A.I.-risk BDCs are worth a new look now

9

Nuveen's Weyandt on why current events make listed real assets look good

10

XA's Flynn on how private credit market is challenging BDCs, interval funds

11

John Cole Scott on how headline risks are impacting closed-end funds

12

Aberdeen's Gilhooly says oil could quickly reach $175 per barrel

13

Bluerock's MacDonald says 'uniquely boring' private real estate is value-priced now

14

John Cole Scott: BDC worries are creating headlines, opportunities

15

John Cole Scott evaluates Robinhood's new private-stock closed-end fund

16

Saratoga's Oberbeck: Headline troubles aren't signalling systemic credit issues

17

Trinity Capital's Brown sees BDC opportunity amid investor frustration

18

Aberdeen's Robinson on how emerging markets are now an AI play

19

John Cole Scott on 4th-quarter results and a hot new year's start for closed-end funds

20

Nuveen's Davis on what '25 has set up for closed -end funds in the year ahead

21

XA's Flynn on how interval fund indexes change the game

22

The year in review: John Cole Scott looks at his his 2025 predictions worked out

23

2026 outlook: John Cole Scott on what '26 holds for closed-end funds

24

Is activism in the UK following or leading the action in the U.S.?

25

Sit's Doty sees opportunities in the next Fed 'mess'

26

Bonus NAVigator: Bulldog Investors' Goldstein on the state of activism

27

CEF Advisors' Scott on the start of the 2025 tax-loss harvesting season

28

NAVigator bonus: Herzfeld's Paylor on how CUBA became a CLO fund

29

Talking closed-end funds on sale with John Cole Scott

30

David Tepper on how economic woes could create a closed-end meltdown

31

Aberdeen's Duitz on where he's turning for dividend growth now

32

ARDC's Brusky on how active management drives opportunities in a changing rate environment

33

Nuveen's Chintapalli says the high-yield market has never looked less junky

34

Year-end action - not bubble worries - will drive year-end CEF discounts

35

John Cole Scott on what's next for the BDC, private credit markets

36

Variant's Hicks on mixing an impact on more than investors' finances

37

XA's DiBernardo on covered-call strategies gaining ground and popularity

38

Are falling rates, changing conditions setting up BDCs for a fall?

39

With his fund up 100% this year, veteran manager says gold can go higher

40

John Cole Scott on when CEFs have the edge over ETFs

41

NAVigator bonus: CEF Advisors' Scott on picking and managing funds

42

Tortoise's Thummel says it's 'the best time i've ever seen' for energy investing

43

XA's Flynn on how crypto, private equity will impact retirement-savings plans

44

Oppenheimer's Penn: 'Fairly valued' BDCs

45

Calamos' Freund expects 4 rate cuts in a year, creating wider discounts

46

A battle over closed-end activism is now awaiting a Supreme Court decision

47

CEF Advisors' Scott on the realities and mirages of double-digit yields

48

Aberdeen's Akus on the struggles facing healthcare, biotech investors

49

Veteran manager says volatile market has stress-tested 'discount-capture investing'

50

John Cole Scott on the assets he expects to thrive for the rest of '25

51

Trinity's Brown: Near-shoring, interest rates and more are boons for private credit

52

Allspring's Schueller says this 'muddle-through economy' is good for junk bonds

53

Your questions answered with John Cole Scott of Closed-End Fund Advisors

54

Bonus NAVigator: Gladstone's Bob Marcotte at the AICA BDC Forum

55

Bonus NAVigator: Oppenheimer's Penn is watching how credit losses weigh on BDCs

56

How a BDC industry advocate shapes policies in Washington

57

Calamos' Grant on getting equity-like returns without market correlation

58

John Cole Scott on whether "the best funds" live up to their billing

59

Nuveen's Griggs: In turbulent markets, small portfolio tweaks have big impacts

60

CION's Gatto on how private markets have weathered tumultuous markets

61

Aberdeen's Kohl: Dividends offer some certainty amid tariff uncertainty

62

Oaktree's Poli: Amid concerns over stocks and bonds, credit is the place to be

63

Sit's Doty is trading up and still expecting double-digit gains this year

64

John Cole Scott on closed-end funds that can weather this storm

65

John Cole Scott on how the wild market action is impacting closed-end funds

66

John Cole Scott on finding 'the best' funds and more

67

Aberdeen Purington: Middle-market infrastructure will be a sweet spot for years

68

The NAVigator at FutureProof: Nuveen's Rodriguez on what wins with rate cuts

69

VettaFi's Islam: Now 15, the 'S&P 500 of closed-end funds' has a big impact

70

XA's Flynn: Healthy borrowers should keep CLO space humming

71

John Cole Scott on BDCs, how they stack up to closed-end funds and more

72

How activism in Britain holds lessons for American closed-end investors

73

Kayne Anderson's Baker on the big potential of energy infrastructure

74

Liberty Street's Munafo on hunting for unicorns in AI

75

CEF Advisors' Scott on discounts, wildfires, benchmarks and more

76

abrdn's Laranjeiro: Tax-exempt yields are an attractive option now

77

First Eagle's Holzenthaler says credit picture will get brighter with rate cuts

78

CION's Gatto on infrastructure investing and why his firm has a new fund for it

79

2024 in Review: John Cole Scott on how his forecasts turned out

80

2025 outlook: John Cole Scott on the year ahead for closed-end funds

81

Attorney Burdon on how Trump 2.0 may impact closed-end funds

82

Nuveen's Chintapalli sees big opportunities in global high yield

83

NAVigator bonus: High yield trending up, tech down and cash is an alternative

84

Hennion & Walsh's Mahn says rate cuts will push investors toward BDCs

85

Black Friday discount shopping with John Cole Scott

86

Double feature: Jim Cohen and Axel Merk from AICA's 2024 Roundtable

87

Abrdn's Duitz, from AICA Roundtable, on infrastructure plays post-election

88

XA's Hagen on the interval fund boom

89

AICA's Scott reviews 3Q's stellar results for closed-end funds

90

RiverNorth's Browne: Muni bond funds look cheap and promising now

91

Arrowmark's Staggs on an income-generating alternative play on banks

92

Digging into lesser-known interval fund picks with John Cole Scott

93

Barings' Feeley: Rate-cut cycle will make high-yield bonds more attractive

94

John Cole Scott on four funds to consider in the fourth quarter

95

abrdn's Laranjiero: Rate cuts should boost muni bond funds

96

Oppenheimer's Penn on how BDCs might fare when the rate cuts start

97

John Cole Scott on the potential benefits of sector swapping

98

John Cole Scott on how funds perform after tenders, closings, and dividend changes

99

NAVigator bonus: RVP's Fertig on what's attractive as rate-cut cycle starts

100

Saratoga's Oberbeck on the state of private credit ahead of interest rate cuts

101

CAIA's Filbeck on interval funds and media criticism of the structure

102

XAI's Flynn on growth and expansion in interval funds

103

BlueBay's Farley: 'We're looking at a multi-year high in default rates'

104

John Cole Scott on where closed-end funds stand at mid-year

105

abrdn's Akus sees opportunity as healthcare plays 'catch up' with the market

106

CION's Gatto: Money rushing into BDCs creates middle-market opportunities

107

Picking between funds is about much more than big yields

108

John Cole Scott on BDCs vs. private credit funds, AI impacting money management, and more

109

VettaFi's Islam on the highs and lows of applying rules to CEF investing

110

When the industry tries to narrow discounts, 'that's good for all of us'

111

Nuveen's Dave Lamb on how fund firms are reacting to increased activism

112

John Cole Scott on new trends reshaping closed-end funds

113

BlackRock's Minar on how the firm is changing discount plays

114

Sizemore: "The Fed's actions have changed, but the discounts remain"

115

Angel Oak's Triick says mortgages are in a fixed-income sweet spot now

116

Liberty Street's Munafo on opportunities in late-stage private venture

117

Abrdn's Mondillo: Record discounts plus solid yields should pay off for muni investors

118

John Cole Scott gives his first take on 2024

119

Sit's Doty says meaningful rate cuts aren't coming until 2025

120

Allspring's de Silva says U.S. still has the world's best income opportunities

121

What struggles in the BDC market portend in a changing rate cycle

122

Axel Merk on the broader impact of an activist investor's approach

123

abrdn's Omstead says the recent healthcare rally is just a start

124

Tough times for commercial real estate are making debt deals attractive

125

Calamos' Kaufman on launching a new ETF of closed-end funds now

126

Examining BDCs and muni funds, and deciding between the two

127

Regulatory capital relief securities add yield, diversification to banking portfolios

128

abrdn's Mondillo: Downtrodden muni funds now represent a big opportunity

129

SCG's Merrill on how derivatives mitigate risk and goose equity returns.

130

VettaFi's Islam on the ETFs that are buying closed-end funds

131

Angel Oak's Pate sees opportunities in banking as rate cycle pivots

132

CAIA's Filbeck on 'taking the alternative out of alternatives'

133

2024 look-ahead: John Cole Scott on what the new year holds for closed-end funds

134

2023 Year in Review: Closed-end funds bounce back, but leave room for more

135

Nuveen's Langenfeld: 'A timely opportunity' to invest in preferred securities

136

Thornburg's Sparkman lengthens maturities and leans international now

137

Abrdn's Taggart says discounts are 'overplayed'

138

ASA Gold's Merk on how precious metals will respond in a coming recession

139

Let's go Black Friday discount shopping with John Cole Scott

140

Sit Invest's Doty on muni-bond discounts and how they will be trimmed

141

Abrdn's Purington: Exxon, Chevron deals will trigger an infrastructure merger wave

142

XA's Perry looks at the boom in non-listed funds

143

Angel Oak's Pate: Bank debt should 'outperform in the current environment'

144

John Cole Scott reviews a rough quarter for closed-end funds

145

VettaFi's Islam on the struggles/potential of ETFs buying closed-end funds

146

Calamos' Bush: Tough conditions for closed-end funds to stand out, excel

147

Blue Bay's Farley: Rate turmoil is making opportunities in event-driven credit

148

Muni discounts keep defying gravity; sizing up fixed-income risk and more

149

Angel Oak's McBurnette on opportunities in housing, mortgages

150

Oppenheimer's Penn: BDCs have adjusted to higher default risks

151

Four classic closed-end funds that remain relevant and vibrant today

152

40 closed-end funds, a million ways to build a portfolio

153

NAVigator bonus: Discounts are at widest levels in years, hunker down and buy

154

Liberty Street's Munafo says opportunity is knocking for private shares

155

Nuveen's Caraher: High-rates-for-longer puts emphasis on credit selection

156

Economic conditions have given private credit lenders more power

157

Abrdn's Duitz says private infrastructure values 'make no sense' right now

158

NAVigator bonus: As market nears record highs, Boughton still finds lots to buy

159

In high-rate environment, don't replace individual bonds with bond funds

160

New SEC liquidity rules could spawn a boom in interval funds

161

XA Investments' Flynn sees rapid growth in interval funds using alternatives

162

Closed-End Fund Advisors' Scott on the funds he is using most for clients now

163

BDCs are well-positioned to handle Fed policies and recession

164

Gabelli's Marangi expects market is about to widen its opportunity set

165

Nuveen's Baker: Look beyond yield to find opportunity in preferreds

166

A 'Wall of Meh' in sentiment is an opportunity for closed-end fund investors

167

BlueBay's Farley on zagging while the credit market zigs

168

Calamos' Freund: Rates could be as range-bound as stocks for a while

169

Kayne's Baker: Energy industry is well set up for the next five years

170

Liberty Street's Munafo tells the two stories facing private equity now

171

The NAVigator at Morningstar: Mario Gabelli on his long closed-end fund career

172

VettaFi's Islam: ETFs give closed-end investors easy, ready-made portfolios

173

Abrdn's Mondillo on the muni market's year of wild swings

174

John Cole Scott on private equity's increasing role in closed-end investing

175

Angel Oak's Pate sees 'a once-in-a-decade opportunity for the banking space'

176

RiverNorth's O'Neill: Muni funds are 'in the 99th percentile of cheapness'

177

Sit Funds' Doty: Banking woes are creating closed-end opportunities

178

CEF Advisors' Scott: Upcoming rate, inflation headlines won't rattle BDCs

179

Reaves' CEO Rhame: Despite high-rate, high-inflation market, utilities are worth a look

180

XA's Perry says leverage in rising-rate world is a double-edged sword

181

GraniteShares' Rhind: Inflation's peak improves prospects for BDCs and CEFs

182

Wallach Beth's trading director on CEF liquidity and execution

183

CEF Advisors' Scott on how the '23 hot start changes the closed-end landscape

184

Abrdn's Purington: Middle-market infrastructure has some extra pop right now

185

Nuveen's Nate Jones: Upward sloping muni yield curve creates opportunities

186

ASA Gold's Merk: The market is already pricing in a recession

187

Angel Oak's Pate: End of the rate-hike cycle will pay off for banks in '23

188

AICA's John Cole Scott: Expect the weak to get stronger in 2023

189

2022 Year in Review: Promising opportunities arise from tough times

190

VettaFi's Morris: For investors playing defense, midstream companies make sense

191

RiverNorth's O'Neill: 'Tis the season to go discount and bargain hunting

192

Saratoga's Oberbeck: The Fed's moves have put BDCs in a good spot

193

John Cole Scott goes discount shopping for Black Friday

194

First Trust's Grayson: Interval funds are a way to zig against the market's zag

195

Oppenheimer's Penn: BDC payouts have improved, but credit risk is up too

196

CEFA's Scott: Rate uncertainty creates values in muni bonds

197

Parametric's Milner: Closed-end funds are reaching a point of 'great opportunity'

198

Octagon's Lam: Rising rates are creating an opportunity in the loan market

199

BlueBay's Farley: Event-driven investing 'should get a lot easier'

200

Calamos' Bush: Convertibles haven't delivered on their promise, yet

201

Choose your weapons: Arming yourself against rising rates and recession

202

Validus' Mark Scalzo discusses 'direct listing,' alternatives and a massive discount

203

Trinity Capital's Brown on double-digit yields and venture-backed growth

204

Angel Oak's Pate: Aggressive Fed actions puts community banks in a sweet spot

205

Abrdn's Duitz: Recessionary pressure is good for infrastructure, dividend plays

206

Protections in Delaware law could change activist investing

207

VettaFi's Islam talks the benefits of an index of closed-end funds

208

Sit's Doty sees current market creating a sweet spot for CEFs

209

The difference between funds with discounts or premiums is more than pricing

210

Nuveen's Ryan: Municipal bonds have stabilized and are poised to recover

211

Private equity zags in market where everything is moving (down) together

212

John Cole Scott: Expect 'upside surprises' for BDCs during earnings season

213

Rob Shaker: 'Sympathy widening' could signal a bottom for discounts

214

XA Investments' McCulloch sees more growth, new entrants to interval funds

215

CEF Advisors' Scott: No time like the present for tax-loss sales

216

Nuveen's Holzenthaler: Surprise, it's 'a buyer's market' on senior loans

217

Pre-market SPACs offer unique opportunity, given current conditions

218

EIP's Brothwell: Energy market amid supply woes requires diversification

219

Five 'plain vanilla' closed-end funds for these markets

220

BDC Reporter's Marshi is 'quite optimistic,' even if there's a recession

221

Blue Bay's Farley: Investors 'aren't buying the dips, they're selling the rallies'

222

Is liquidity 'a feature or a benefit' of closed-end funds?

223

The search for funds in today's 'painful, ugly shocking' closed-end environment

224

Low-return environment calls for savvy allocations, risk management

225

Taggart: Closed-end funds struggled and discounts widened during 1Q

226

For private-equity success, commit to riding 'the J-curve'

227

Steven Bavaria on how the 'Income Factory strategy' copes with current conditions

228

Private equity fund lets ordinary investors go after assets previously off-limits

229

How to size up BDCs to determine the standout buys

230

Matisse's Boughton: International, emerging-markets stocks are 'dirt cheap'

231

How current events are impacting the capital markets

232

Your questions answered with Mike Taggart, AICA executive director

233

AICA's Scott: Closed-end fund 2.0 is off to a strong start

234

Taggart: As unrest widens discounts, buy the asset not the bargain

235

BDCs and middle-market credit can solve rising-rate puzzle

236

Bonus episode: Rate and inflation picture are triggering rotation

237

What to expect from closed-end funds in a rising-rate environment

238

In the closed-end discount cycle, now is the time to be buying

239

Blue Bay's Farley: Lots of market events, limited good investment opportunities

240

With or without legislation, infrastructure's on the upswing

241

Cliffwater's Condrell: Middle-market credits smooth portfolio returns

242

Flat Rock sees big value in the trade-off of liquidity for return potential

243

John Cole Scott's crystal ball view of 2022 in closed-end funds

244

Big premiums and high dividend yields key a banner year for closed-end funds

245

How shareholders benefit from 'follow-on offering' trend

246

Activism isn't waning, but rules governing it are changing

247

Consider an interval fund as the place for your muni bond holdings

248

Infrastructure needs will fuel real asset plays for decades

249

A check on BDC developments, and performance versus REITs

250

Closed-end fund 2.0 is a bigger deal than the ETF revolution

251

Record supply of high-yield bonds helps to overcome inflation fears

252

The outlook for BDCs is strong heading into 2022

253

Market conditions should drive bond investors to floating-rate loans

254

'My fund wants to pay distributions in shares; is this good or bad?'

255

Solid energy infrastructure plays aren't going away, now or long-term

256

Closed-end funds aren't just for retirees any more

257

Preferred securities are the 'sweet spot' in this market

258

A bond-fund mix can safely stretch for yield

259

Closed-end funds provide a better balance between liquidity and returns

260

Robinson's Browne: How to overcome current fixed-income struggles

261

Recovering at a different pace, India is a unique opportunity

262

Less opportunities to generate income requires creative solutions

263

Private equity adds spice, return potential and diverse returns

264

Create a 'quasi-bond' to get steady, high returns now from closed-end funds

265

'Distribution coverage ratios' give clues on potential payout cuts

266

Taggart says investors can find the devil is in merger details

267

TortoiseEcofin's Kessens: Expect double-digit returns from energy

268

BDC Reporter's Marshi sees a 'golden age' ahead

269

Bonus NAVigator: ICON's Paul still likes closed-end fund opportunities

270

Tax edge makes munis attractive even as discounts shrink

271

Tekla's Omstead: Great promise from 'a new generation' of health care firms

272

Bulldog's Goldstein on the hard path facing activist shareholders

273

John Cole Scott on discounts vs. dollars, the recovery and what's next

274

Rob Shaker on what's next for closed-end discounts

275

Covered call funds help combat heightened volatility

276

Tender funds offer alternative structure and investments, plus flexibility

277

Griffin's Anderson sees broad opportunities, solid trends in real estate

278

Firms benefit from using alts, ESG both here and abroad

279

NAVigator bonus: Matisse Cap's Boughton talks discounts, MLPs and more

280

How closed-end funds can be an investor's 'paycheck-replacement system'

281

'Once you own a closed-end fund, you shouldn't care what the discount is'

282

Finding big discounts is hard, but closed-end funds remain attractive

283

Convertibles are acting more like stocks than bonds

284

Finally, ESG investing gains a foothold in closed-end funds

285

The role of closed-end funds in the changing 60-40 portfolio

286

How alternative credit types can build returns and balance risks

287

Interval fund structure lets manager freely pursue the 'best ideas'

288

Owl Rock's Packer: BDCs have been strong through pandemic and getting stronger

289

Nuveen's Miller: Legislation, economic reopening give munis a boost

290

NAVigator bonus: Finding a balance of high yield and risk in BDCs and closed-end funds

291

Water is an overlooked part of infrastructure investing

292

Legendary manager Wick on the workings of his closed-end fund

293

Rareview's Azous talks the dangers that rising rates pose now

294

NAVigator bonus: Look beyond yield and discount in picking closed-end funds

295

Closed-end fund expert Fertig says values now are more 'relative' than ever

296

Aberdeen manager says Covid 'put real estate in the crosshairs'

297

US asset managers turn to London to raise capital via closed-end funds

298

Why closed-end directors need more than a rubber stamp

299

Value stocks are set up for a good run in 2021 and beyond

300

Fixed-income investors must be 'more creative, more thoughtful and do more homework'

301

Brookfield's Antonatos sees policies and pandemic's end boosting real assets

302

The good, bad and ugly of closed-end investing from 2020

303

Angel Oak's Pate: Financials are at a good point 'for valuations to take off from here'

304

RiverNorth's Kerai: Yield-hungry investors should look to private capital market

305

Nuveen's Clark says Covid disrupted the stability for real estate and infrastructure

306

Think of closed-end funds as 'alternatives light' to solve yield woes