Best Black Yield Podcasts (2025)

1
abrdn's Laranjeiro: Tax-exempt yields are an attractive option now 12:26

20h ago12:26

12:26

Miguel Laranjeiro, investment director for municipal debt at Abrdn, says the appetite for muni-bond assets has been growing at a point when "tax-exempt yields look really attractive," with tax-equivalent yields running up to 6 percent for investment-grade bonds, an attractive option compared to corporate and other bond types. Laranjeiro notes that …

1
TechInsight Semiconductor Industry Outlook 2025 and Beyond 56:52

6h ago56:52

56:52

Join us for a captivating conversation with Andrea Lati from TechInsight as we unpack the transformative forces shaping the semiconductor industry. Andrea Lati is the Director of Market Research at TechInsights Inc. Since joining the company in 2001, Andrea has been managing and developing forecasting models as well as performing market analysis an…

1
First Eagle's Holzenthaler says credit picture will get brighter with rate cuts 14:43

5h ago14:43

14:43

Larry Holzenthaler, Portfolio Manager for First Eagle Alternative Credit — part of the team running First Eagle Credit Opportunities fund — gives his outlook for credit markets in 2025, noting that after avoiding default troubles when rates were rising, it should be stronger now, with paper being particularly strong in private credit. Holzenthaler …

1
How Fantasy Shapes Our Lives, Part 1 39:20

3h ago39:20

39:20

Ep Desc: Fantasy is more than just an escape—it’s a powerful lens that shapes how we see and interact with the world. In this episode, Eddie Reece and Bill Courtright dive deep into how fantasy influences everything from our behavior to our beliefs. They explore how childhood fantasies, like believing in Santa Claus, evolve into complex adult belie…

1
CION's Gatto on infrastructure investing and why his firm has a new fund for it 12:08

4d ago12:08

12:08

Mark Gatto, Co-Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer at CION Investment Group, says that the landscape for global infrastructure spending could be as high as $3 trillion annually worldwide, which is going to create an investment asset class that is consistent, that can overcome political challenges, and that has public and private investment oppor…

1
2024 in Review: John Cole Scott on how his forecasts turned out 13:18

22d ago13:18

13:18

John Cole Scott — president of Closed-End Fund Advisors and the chairman of the Active Investment Company Alliance — revisits the forecasts he made for the closed-end fund business a year ago and to grade himself as a soothsayer. Having made his 2025 calls for closed-end funds a week ago, he puts some weight behind his prognostications by showing t…

1
2025 outlook: John Cole Scott on the year ahead for closed-end funds 18:23

29d ago18:23

18:23

John Cole Scott, President of Closed-End Fund Advisors, doesn't have a crystal ball, but he does have a mountain of data, and he digs through it to look at the stories he anticipates to be central to the closed-end fund landscape in the new year. Beyond looking at the big stories, John identifies five investments poised for breakout performances in…

1
Attorney Burdon on how Trump 2.0 may impact closed-end funds 11:39

1M ago11:39

11:39

Ken Burdon, a partner in the registered funds practice at Simpson Thacher and Bartlett, discusses how the return of President Donald Trump might benefit closed-end funds. One key development he will be looking for is for the approval of new investment vehicles that give retail investors more access to private credit markets and other alternative as…

1
Breaking Down Trauma: What It Is And How To Heal 29:03

27d ago29:03

29:03

Trauma is an emotional response to anything that produces a jarring, negative, fear, or anxiety disruption. In this episode, Bill Courtright and Eddie Reece delve into the complexities of trauma, exploring its origins, how it manifests in everyday life, and the profound consequences it can have. From a lack of support and feeling judged to experien…

1
Nuveen's Chintapalli sees big opportunities in global high yield 11:52

1M ago11:52

11:52

Ravi Chintapalli, Client Portfolio Manager on the Global Fixed Income team at Nuveen, says that the bond market has seen a structural change in the market for below-investment grade or junk bonds. Chintapalli says investors think of junk bonds as it was in times like 2007, when nearly one-third of the paper was teetering on the edge of default; tod…

1
Are Silicon Photonics the Only Way Forward in Semiconductors? 32:59

1M ago32:59

32:59

Silicon photonics is not just a buzzword—it's the future of the semiconductor industry, and we're here to uncover its secrets with Dr. Lee Chee Wai. Dr. Lee Chee Wei is a distinguished expert in silicon photonics integration, boasting an extensive career spanning over 18 years. Holding a PhD in Photonics Integration from Nanyang Technological Unive…

1
Overcoming Division: Finding Common Ground In A Divided World 28:42

1M ago28:42

28:42

Society feels more divided now more than ever. Overcoming division that gets more serious every single day requires understanding the root causes and taking deliberate steps. Join Bill Courtright and Eddie Reece as they explore the psychological and societal factors that put people into extremes and the risks we could face if it continues unchecked…

1
NAVigator bonus: High yield trending up, tech down and cash is an alternative 16:08

2M ago16:08

16:08

Michael Lowenberg of White Mountain Capital — Portfolio Manager for the Modern Capital Tactical Income fund (ticker MCTOX) discusses the factors he considers when picking closed-end funds for the portfolio. Lowenberg — whose fund buys both stocks and closed-end funds — likes the funds for their downside protection, and explains that he values the a…

1
Hennion & Walsh's Mahn says rate cuts will push investors toward BDCs 14:23

2M ago14:23

14:23

Kevin Mahn, President and Chief Investment Officer at Hennion & Walsh Asset Management — which runs the Smart Trust Unit Investment Trusts — says that he expects the Federal Reserve to cut rates over the next two years, which will drive investors to turn for income alternatives "since they can't find the 5 percent in the short-term CDs any more." T…

1
Beyond Hungry Ghosts: Letting Go Of Unmet Expectations 30:52

1M ago30:52

30:52

Dive into the intriguing and thought-provoking Buddhist philosophy of hungry ghosts with Eddie Reece and Bill Courtright. Together, they discuss how we become these so-called ghosts when we hold on to our unfulfilled desires, aimlessly pursue impossible satisfactions, and let rage dictate our actions. Discover how unmet needs can manifest in variou…

1
Black Friday discount shopping with John Cole Scott 12:02

2M ago12:02

12:02

The day after Thanksgiving is all about shopping at the biggest possible discounts, and John Cole Scott of Closed-End Fund Advisors puts a closed-end fund spin on it for the third straight year, culling through funds the way bargain shoppers look for the best deals. Scott — Chairman of the Active Investment Company Alliance — identifies three diffe…

1
Double feature: Jim Cohen and Axel Merk from AICA's 2024 Roundtable 27:29

2M ago27:29

27:29

The NAVigator this week offers a taste of the action from the Active Investment Company Alliance's 2024 Fall Roundtable, which was held on November 13 in New York City. Individual investor Jim Cohen discusses how consumers in closed-end funds are caught between activist "whales" and fund sponsors, wanting to hold funds to account to narrow discount…

1
Abrdn's Duitz, from AICA Roundtable, on infrastructure plays post-election 12:17

2M ago12:17

12:17

Josh Duitz, Portfolio Manager for the Aberdeen Global Infrastructure Fund, took a break from the program at the Active Investment Company's Fall Roundtable in New York this week to discuss the state of infrastructure investing now that the presidential election has been decided and the policies of the second Trump Administration are becoming more c…

1
XA's Hagen on the interval fund boom 12:37

3M ago12:37

12:37

Jared Hagen, Vice President at XA Investments, discusses this year's unprecedented growth in interval and tender-offer funds and how the number of funds in registration guarantees the trend will continue through 2025. Hagen talks about why the investment community has taken a shine to interval funds and covers how the expansion into the space has i…

1
AICA's Scott reviews 3Q's stellar results for closed-end funds 12:04

3M ago12:04

12:04

John Cole Scott, President of Closed-End Fund Advisors and Chairman of the Active Investment Company Alliance, digs into his firm's data to break down a great three-month stretch for closed-end funds and business development companies. He says it was a period in which discounts narrowed dramatically and changed the opportunity set without it becomi…

1
RiverNorth's Browne: Muni bond funds look cheap and promising now 12:25

3M ago12:25

12:25

Jonathan Browne, Senior Investment Analyst at RiverNorth Capital Management — and Portfolio Manager on five of the firm's municipal bond closed-end fund-of-funds — says that the headwinds that made for big struggles in the muni bond space have shifted to become tailwinds, creating opportunity despite the strong recent rebound among muni bond funds.…

1
Arrowmark's Staggs on an income-generating alternative play on banks 11:54

3M ago11:54

11:54

Dana Staggs, President of Arrowmark Financial Corp., talks about how regulatory capital relief securities — bank-generated floating-rate notes that are currently producing yields of up to 15 percent — can function as an alternative investment. He notes that due to their emergence during the financial crisis of 2008, regulatory capital relief securi…

1
Beyond Black Boxes: Meet AI that Justifies Its Choices 54:40

3M ago54:40

54:40

Unlock the secrets of AI innovation with our esteemed guest, Jem Davies, non-executive director at Literal Labs. Jem shares his transition from Arm to Literal Labs, revealing how the revolutionary Tsetlin machine sets new benchmarks in efficiency, power usage, and processing speed. Jem is a highly experienced business leader and technologist having…

1
Digging into lesser-known interval fund picks with John Cole Scott 14:23

4M ago14:23

14:23

John Cole Scott, President of Closed-End Fund Advisors and the Chairman of the Active Investment Company Alliance, discusses interval funds and digs into the data on four funds that use the structure to create promising investment opportunities for investors. Plus, learn about the NAVigator Podcast's first-ever contest, in celebration of its fifth …

1
Barings' Feeley: Rate-cut cycle will make high-yield bonds more attractive 11:28

4M ago11:28

11:28

Sean Feeley, part of the U.S. High Yield Investment Group at Barings, says he believes that with the bulk of interest rate adjustments happening at the short end of the yield curve, a wave of refinancing of shorter-term debt is coming, and that this typically makes high-yield investments look more attractive. Feeley expects the economy to avoid a r…

1
John Cole Scott on four funds to consider in the fourth quarter 12:03

4M ago12:03

12:03

John Cole Scott, President of Closed-End Fund Advisors and Chairman of the Active Investment Company Alliance, looks ahead to the fourth quarter on today's podcast. He discusses two equity and two fixed-income funds that hit his trifecta — an analytical mix of discount, dividend, and net asset value — and that he says look particularly promising fo…

1
abrdn's Laranjiero: Rate cuts should boost muni bond funds 10:10

4M ago10:10

10:10

Miguel Laranjeiro, Investment Director at abrdn, says we are seeing "the beginning of a robust in-flow cycle into the muni space," noting that credit spreads and all-in yields are attractive and that the value of the tax exemption will particularly pay off now. He says he expects the Federal Reserve's long-awaited rate cuts will end the longest yie…

1
Oppenheimer's Penn on how BDCs might fare when the rate cuts start 11:07

4M ago11:07

11:07

Mitchel Penn, Managing Director of Equity Research at Oppenheimer and Co., says that while business development companies (BDCs) have struggled this year, they are positioned well to ride out the changing interest rate cycle. He says that when the Federal Reserve starts cutting interest rates, he expects BDCs to see higher fee income, though some o…

1
How to Advance Chip Design with Digital Twins and EDA 31:13

4M ago31:13

31:13

Transform your understanding of semiconductor design and testing with the latest episode of Advantest Talks Semi. We are thrilled to introduce our new co-host, Don Ong, and welcome Ron Press, and Marc Hutner, from Siemens as they share groundbreaking insights into Electronic Design Automation (EDA). Ron Press is the Senior Director for Technology E…

1
John Cole Scott on the potential benefits of sector swapping 12:13

5M ago12:13

12:13

John Cole Scott, President of Closed-End Fund Advisors and Chairman of the Active Investment Company Alliance, discusses how investors in funds trading at premiums can use sector swapping to turbocharge their gains. He describes a process where an investor sells out of funds trading at premiums and purchases similar funds trading at discounts, lock…

1
John Cole Scott on how funds perform after tenders, closings, and dividend changes 13:15

5M ago13:15

13:15

John Cole Scott, president of Closed-End Fund Advisors and Chairman of the Active Investment Company Alliance, explains how closed-end funds have responded historically to corporate actions like tender offers, liquidations, transitions to open-end funds, rights offerings, and big changes in dividend policy. He notes that understanding how those eve…

1
NAVigator bonus: RVP's Fertig on what's attractive as rate-cut cycle starts 18:54

5M ago18:54

18:54

Maury Fertig, Chief Investment Officer at Relative Value Partners, discusses how the changing interest rate picture is impacting considerations on the closed-end funds he is considering for client portfolios — and which areas of the closed-end fund universe look particularly attractive now. He also talks about how a number of BlackRock funds are pe…

1
Saratoga's Oberbeck on the state of private credit ahead of interest rate cuts 12:36

5M ago12:36

12:36

Chris Oberbeck, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Saratoga Investment Corp., says that private credit — which has been on the rise for several years — is being challenged by a cooling market for mergers and acquisition activity. That has put pricing pressure on managers, which should ease a bit as rates come down and mergers and financing dea…

1
CAIA's Filbeck on interval funds and media criticism of the structure 13:10

5M ago13:10

13:10

Aaron Filbeck, Managing Director of the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association (CAIA), discusses interval funds, their evolution, fee structures, and potential. He also responds to recent media coverage that has been critical of them as investment vehicles, including a recent Wall Street Journal article on how interval fund fees "will…

1
XAI's Flynn on growth and expansion in interval funds 13:56

6M ago13:56

13:56

Kimberly Flynn, Managing Director of Alternative Investments at XA Investments, discusses the state of interval funds, which have been growing rapidly and expanding their asset reach. It's not just the 50-plus funds on file and the entry of big players and new investment ideas, but also the recent rise in media interest. In the interview, Flynn res…

1
BlueBay's Farley: 'We're looking at a multi-year high in default rates' 13:17

6M ago13:17

13:17

Duncan Farley, Portfolio Manager on the Developed Markets Special Situations team at RBC BlueBay Asset Management — manager of the BlueBay Destra International Event-Driven Credit Fund — says corporations that have been "dining out on cheap finance" now have indigestion because their debt levels, leverage, and costs have gone up, so "the math doesn…

1
John Cole Scott on where closed-end funds stand at mid-year 13:43

6M ago13:43

13:43

John Cole Scott, President of Closed-End Fund Advisors and Chairman of the Active Investment Company Alliance, provides an update on what's been happening with closed-end funds throughout the first half of 2024. He notes that discounts narrowed almost across the board, but yields increased, resulting in positive returns for most asset classes.…

1
abrdn’s Akus sees opportunity as healthcare plays ‘catch up’ with the market 12:08

6M ago12:08

12:08

Jason Akus, Senior Investment Director and Head of Healthcare Investing at abrdn and manager of the firm’s four closed-end funds covering biotech and healthcare, says that the stock market appears to be broadening out and that healthcare and biotech are both likely to be beneficiaries. Healthcare stocks have generally lagged the stock market since …

1
Why your next Smartphone will be AI-powered: A Look at Mobile Semiconductor Trends with Yole Group 47:36

6M ago47:36

47:36

How is the semiconductor industry evolving in the face of global market trends and technological advancements? Today, we are thrilled to welcome Pierre Cambou to our podcast. Pierre serves as the Principal Analyst for Global Semiconductors at Yole Group. With a rich background that includes founding a semiconductor startup and roles at notable comp…

1
CION's Gatto: Money rushing into BDCs creates middle-market opportunities 13:22

7M ago13:22

13:22

Mark Gatto, Co-Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer of CION Investment Group — which manages the business development company CION Investment Corp. — discusses the heavy interest and cash flow into BDCs and how that is changing the space and making it important for investors and advisers to "pull back the layers to understand what they are invest…

1
Picking between funds is about much more than big yields 12:41

7M ago12:41

12:41

John Cole Scott, President of Closed-End Fund Advisors and Chairman of the Active Investment Company Alliance, compares two high-yielding offerings from Ares, breaking down the Ares Dynamic Credit Allocation (ARDC) fund and the CION Ares Diversified Credit I (CADUX) fund. He shows that while both could be viable and attractive options for investors…

1
John Cole Scott on BDCs vs. private credit funds, AI impacting money management, and more 11:50

7M ago11:50

11:50

John Cole Scott, President of Closed-End Fund Advisors and Chairman of the Active Investment Company Alliance, shares takeaways from a recent industry conference focused on business development companies (BDCs). He talks about how BDCs compare to private credit funds, how the market is changing, and how some money managers are using artificial inte…

1
Who Needs Therapy? Maybe You (And Why It's Awesome) 53:13

7M ago53:13

53:13

Do you ever feel like you're going through the motions but not truly connecting with others? Eddie Reece and Bill Courtright are here to bust the myths about therapy and show you how it can benefit ANYONE. In this episode, they discuss the surprising reasons why therapy is actually awesome, how to build deeper connections, how to manage stress and …

1
VettaFi's Islam on the highs and lows of applying rules to CEF investing 9:24

7M ago9:24

9:24

Roxanna Islam, Head of Sector and Industry Research at VettaFi, discusses the benefits and flaws of applying rules-based investing to closed-end funds. She notes that changes in the industry have forced changes on a rules-guided index of closed-end funds created by VettaFi, and how that is impacting the holdings and asset allocation of the fund-of-…

1
Therapy 101: What It Is & Why It Matters 48:20

7M ago48:20

48:20

Have you ever considered therapy but felt unsure where to begin? This episode is designed to equip you with the knowledge and confidence to make an informed decision. Today, Eddie Reece and Bill Courtright explore the world of therapy. They answer common questions like "What is therapy?" and "Why might someone consider it?" Eddie also shares valuab…

1
When the industry tries to narrow discounts, 'that's good for all of us' 11:41

8M ago11:41

11:41

Rob Shaker, Portfolio Manager at Shaker Financial Services, says that economic conditions — the debt-ceiling debate, troubled banks, higher interest rates and persistent inflation — have created a situation where the market isn’t climbing the proverbial wall of worry, but rather a ‘Wall of Meh.’ However, he adds that there is opportunity in the uni…

1
Nuveen's Dave Lamb on how fund firms are reacting to increased activism 13:23

8M ago13:23

13:23

Dave Lamb, Head of Closed-End Funds at Nuveen, says there is a "much more aggressive form of activism today than what we saw years ago," and notes that it's driven entirely by discount-arbitrage opportunities rather than whether a fund is underperforming due to management decision-making. With discounts at wide levels — particularly for fixed-incom…

1
John Cole Scott on new trends reshaping closed-end funds 13:31

8M ago13:31

13:31

John Cole Scott, President of Closed-End Fund Advisors and Chairman of the Active Investment Company Alliance, talks about the good and bad in recent industry developments. For example, Scott discusses how fund sponsors are taking steps to keep a lid on discounts, potentially reducing a fund's attractiveness to activist investors. He also highlight…

1
BlackRock's Minar on how the firm is changing discount plays 12:52

8M ago12:52

12:52

Stephen Minar, Managing Director and Head of Closed-End Funds at BlackRock, discusses a contemporary conundrum in the closed-end fund industry: How discounts drive money flows into closed-end funds but also attract activist investors whose actions may be harmful to long-term individual investors. To address this, Minar notes that BlackRock has laun…

1
Sizemore: "The Fed's actions have changed, but the discounts remain" 13:12

8M ago13:12

13:12

Charles Lewis Sizemore, chief investment officer at Sizemore Capital Management, says that while short-term rates are as high as they are likely to be, the "massive discount" created in closed-end funds while rates were on the rise have not dissipated. That means closed-end funds remain a compelling value now, and Sizemore said he is finding partic…

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