Blog
April 3, 2020
On March 17, 2020, Fitch Ratings downgraded senior notes to ‘A’ from ‘AAA’ and preferred shares to ‘BBB’ from ‘AA or ‘A’ of 10 midstream energy closed-end funds (CEFs) following severe declines in portfolio values that eroded the funds’ asset coverage ratios. Fitch also placed all securities on Rating Watch Negative reflecting the potential for […]
April 1, 2020
Attorneys are providing notice of their investigation of UBS Financial Services, Inc. (“UBS”) for possible sales practice violations, including but not limited to failing to disclose material risks associated with its ETRACS product. ETRACS Exchange Traded Notes are senior, unsecured, unsubordinated debt securities that are designed to track the total return of a specific market […]
March 26, 2020
Real estate investment trusts (REITs) that purchase mortgage-backed securities are playing a prominent role in the current market turmoil, dumping their holdings in response to margin calls by their banks. The mortgage Reits entered the coronavirus crisis owning an estimated $500bn of bonds backed by property loans and have come under pressure because they use […]
As the Wall Street Journal noted this morning (‘Investors, Fearing Defaults, Rush Out of Junk Bonds’), “the specter of widespread corporate defaults in the coming months has caused a massive selloff in junk bonds around the world, as many debt-laden companies face the prospect of going weeks or months with virtually no revenue.” In fact, […]
March 24, 2020
As the Wall Street Journal noted this morning (‘The Oil Crash is Hitting this Investment Hard’), “the plunge in crude-oil prices is sending shock waves through closed-end funds tracking the energy sector, highlighting how the market turmoil is hitting products popular with ordinary investors seeking to boost returns during the long bull market. Shares of […]