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The NAVigator — 316 episodes

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Title
1

How the market's recent rally created 'a good widening' of closed-end discounts

2

Nuveen's Caraher on why senior loans are in a sweet spot now

3

John Cole Scott on Q2 and the rest of '26 for closed-end funds, BDCs

4

XA's DiBernardo on why worried investors should consider covered calls now

5

Gold fund manager Merk on ASA's fight with activist investors

6

Gabelli's Dreyer on why sports and value picks are an antidote to A.I. obsession

7

CEF Data's Scott on the takeaways from Dechert's Private Credit Summit

8

Landmark Supreme Court decision is a game-changer for investor activism

9

In a tight-spread, higher-for-longer rate market, discounts matter again

10

Bluerock's Baffico says HALO trades will benefit from Private Credit Redemptions

11

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

12

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

13

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

14

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

15

Enduring investment lessons from the legendary Mark Mobius

16

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

17

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

18

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

19

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

20

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

21

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

22

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

23

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

24

John Cole Scott: BDC worries are creating headlines, opportunities

25

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

26

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

27

Trinity Capital's Brown sees BDC opportunity amid investor frustration

28

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

29

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

30

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

31

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

32

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

33

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

34

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

35

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

36

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

37

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

38

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

39

Talking closed-end funds on sale with John Cole Scott

40

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

41

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

42

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

43

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

44

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

45

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

46

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

47

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

48

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

49

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

50

John Cole Scott on when CEFs have the edge over ETFs

51

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

52

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

53

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

54

Oppenheimer's Penn: 'Fairly valued' BDCs

55

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

56

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

57

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

58

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

59

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

60

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

61

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

62

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

63

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

64

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

65

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

66

How a BDC industry advocate shapes policies in Washington

67

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

68

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

69

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

70

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

71

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

72

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

73

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

74

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

75

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

76

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

77

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

78

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

79

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

80

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

81

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

82

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

83

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

84

Liberty Street's Munafo on hunting for unicorns in AI

85

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

86

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

87

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

88

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

89

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

90

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

91

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

92

Nuveen's Chintapalli sees big opportunities in global high yield

93

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

94

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

95

Black Friday discount shopping with John Cole Scott

96

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

97

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

98

XA's Hagen on the interval fund boom

99

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

100

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

101

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

102

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

103

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

104

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

105

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

106

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

107

John Cole Scott on the potential benefits of sector swapping

108

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

109

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

110

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

111

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

112

XAI's Flynn on growth and expansion in interval funds

113

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

114

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

115

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

116

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

117

Picking between funds is about much more than big yields

118

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

119

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

120

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

121

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

122

John Cole Scott on new trends reshaping closed-end funds

123

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

124

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

125

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

126

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

127

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

128

John Cole Scott gives his first take on 2024

129

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

130

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

131

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

132

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

133

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

134

Tough times for commercial real estate are making debt deals attractive

135

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

136

Examining BDCs and muni funds, and deciding between the two

137

Regulatory capital relief securities add yield, diversification to banking portfolios

138

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

139

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

140

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

141

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

142

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

143

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

144

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

145

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

146

Thornburg's Sparkman lengthens maturities and leans international now

147

Abrdn's Taggart says discounts are 'overplayed'

148

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

149

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

150

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

151

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

152

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

153

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

154

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

155

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

156

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

157

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

158

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

159

Angel Oak's McBurnette on opportunities in housing, mortgages

160

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

161

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

162

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

163

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

164

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

165

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

166

Economic conditions have given private credit lenders more power

167

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

168

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

169

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

170

New SEC liquidity rules could spawn a boom in interval funds

171

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

172

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

173

BDCs are well-positioned to handle Fed policies and recession

174

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

175

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

176

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

177

BlueBay's Farley on zagging while the credit market zigs

178

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

179

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

180

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

181

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

182

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

183

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

184

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

185

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

186

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

187

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

188

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

189

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

190

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

191

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

192

Wallach Beth's trading director on CEF liquidity and execution

193

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

194

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

195

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

196

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

197

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

198

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

199

2022 Year in Review: Promising opportunities arise from tough times

200

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

201

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

202

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

203

John Cole Scott goes discount shopping for Black Friday

204

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

205

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

206

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

207

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

208

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

209

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

210

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

211

Choose your weapons: Arming yourself against rising rates and recession

212

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

213

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

214

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

215

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

216

Protections in Delaware law could change activist investing

217

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

218

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

219

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

220

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

221

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

222

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

223

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

224

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

225

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

226

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

227

Pre-market SPACs offer unique opportunity, given current conditions

228

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

229

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

230

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

231

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

232

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

233

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

234

Low-return environment calls for savvy allocations, risk management

235

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

236

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

237

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

238

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

239

How to size up BDCs to determine the standout buys

240

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

241

How current events are impacting the capital markets

242

Your questions answered with Mike Taggart, AICA executive director

243

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

244

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

245

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

246

Bonus episode: Rate and inflation picture are triggering rotation

247

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

248

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

249

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

250

With or without legislation, infrastructure's on the upswing

251

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

252

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

253

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

254

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

255

How shareholders benefit from 'follow-on offering' trend

256

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

257

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

258

Infrastructure needs will fuel real asset plays for decades

259

A check on BDC developments, and performance versus REITs

260

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

261

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

262

The outlook for BDCs is strong heading into 2022

263

Market conditions should drive bond investors to floating-rate loans

264

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

265

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

266

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

267

Preferred securities are the 'sweet spot' in this market

268

A bond-fund mix can safely stretch for yield

269

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

270

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

271

Recovering at a different pace, India is a unique opportunity

272

Less opportunities to generate income requires creative solutions

273

Private equity adds spice, return potential and diverse returns

274

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

275

'Distribution coverage ratios' give clues on potential payout cuts

276

Taggart says investors can find the devil is in merger details

277

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

278

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

279

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

280

Tax edge makes munis attractive even as discounts shrink

281

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

282

Bulldog's Goldstein on the hard path facing activist shareholders

283

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

284

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

285

Covered call funds help combat heightened volatility

286

Tender funds offer alternative structure and investments, plus flexibility

287

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

288

Firms benefit from using alts, ESG both here and abroad

289

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

290

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

291

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

292

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

293

Convertibles are acting more like stocks than bonds

294

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

295

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

296

How alternative credit types can build returns and balance risks

297

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

298

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

299

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

300

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

301

Water is an overlooked part of infrastructure investing

302

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

303

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

304

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

305

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

306

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

307

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

308

Why closed-end directors need more than a rubber stamp

309

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

310

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

311

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

312

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

313

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

314

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

315

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

316

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