Why We're Buying The Dip On These 8% CEFs

Core Viewpoint - Recent sell-off in high-yield bond closed-end funds (CEFs) presents a significant buying opportunity for investors, driven by panic among conservative investors [2][4][5]. Group 1: Market Context - The CEF market is relatively small, with only 382 funds and $249 billion in assets compared to approximately $11 trillion in ETFs, making it less attractive to institutional investors [4]. - Conservative investors in CEFs tend to react negatively to bad news, leading to predictable sell-offs, which creates buying opportunities for more strategic investors [4][5]. Group 2: Recent Triggers - The collapse of auto-parts supplier First Brands and subprime car-loan lender Tricolor has raised concerns about the stability of private credit markets, echoing fears from the March 2023 banking crisis [5][6]. - Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, highlighted the potential for further issues in the banking sector, likening the situation to finding "one cockroach" [5]. Group 3: Current Liquidity Environment - Current bank reserves are healthy at $3.3 trillion, contrasting with the liquidity issues faced in March 2023, as the Federal Reserve is cutting rates and ending quantitative tightening [7]. - The influx of liquidity is expected to support credit markets and high-yield bonds, despite the current sell-off in CEFs [7]. Group 4: Specific Investment Opportunities - The Western Asset High Income Fund II (HIX) is currently trading at a 2.7% discount to NAV, presenting a buying opportunity as its underlying portfolio remains stable [9]. - The RiverNorth/DoubleLine Strategic Opportunity Fund (OPP) has seen a market-price-based return dip, resulting in an 8.5% discount, which is below its five-year average of 6.2% [12][13]. - Historical patterns suggest that significant discounts in CEFs, driven by panic selling, often lead to substantial gains for investors who buy during these dips [14].