kdrkara/iStock via Getty Images The Western Asset Diversified Income Fund ( WDI ) is a closed-end fund designed to provide investors with fixed income exposure across a wide variety of issuances. The strategy is presently allocated most heavily in high-yield credit with a proportional allocation towards lower-rated issuances, offering investors an appealing distribution yield of 12.41% while the p...
kdrkara/iStock via Getty Images The Western Asset Diversified Income Fund ( WDI ) is a closed-end fund designed to provide investors with fixed income exposure across a wide variety of issuances. The strategy is presently allocated most heavily in high-yield credit with a proportional allocation towards lower-rated issuances, offering investors an appealing distribution yield of 12.41% while the portfolio trades at a modest -3.04% discount to NAV. Despite the relatively riskier allocation to high-yield credit, WDI offers broad diversification across issuances where no single issuer holds substantial weight in the portfolio. With the US macroeconomic outlook turning more positive into the start of 2026, I believe WDI can potentially be an appealing fixed income strategy for investors seeking high-yield, managed exposure. Investment Thesis for WDI High-yield issuances generally trade in a similar fashion to the broad equity market given the risky nature of these issuances relative to investment-grade issuances. This can present investors with a unique opportunity to buy into a strategy like WDI with the expectation that the market will continue to present positive returns. Granted, there are some intricacies that may result in a certain amount of performance decoupling, such as economic outlook, interest rate policy, and market liquidity, that may impact high-yield performance, though the general rule is that when the equity market is growing, high-yields may be expected to follow suit. TradingView As a component of the corporate bond sleeve, WDI had larger exposures in energy at 11.6%, industrials at 11.9%, consumer discretionary at 13.1%, and communications services at 11.5%. One of the potential challenges in the portfolio strategy is the shifting tide in consumer discretionary as inflationary costs begin to shift corporate strategy. Accordingly, the Wall Street Journal recently reported that consumer-facing businesses are expected to begin raising prices in 2026 t...
South Korea selected a team led by startup Motif Technologies to compete in a flagship tournament aimed at developing homegrown talent and launching the country’s AI ambitions. The Seoul-based AI startup will join teams led by LG AI Research, SK Telecom Co. , and Upstage in the next phase of the competition, the Ministry of Science and ICT said on Friday. The ministry will begin supporting Motif’s...
South Korea selected a team led by startup Motif Technologies to compete in a flagship tournament aimed at developing homegrown talent and launching the country’s AI ambitions. The Seoul-based AI startup will join teams led by LG AI Research, SK Telecom Co. , and Upstage in the next phase of the competition, the Ministry of Science and ICT said on Friday. The ministry will begin supporting Motif’s team with 768 Nvidia B200 AI processors as well as funds for data acquisition and processing. Korea sees the tournament, dubbed the “AI Squid Game” in a nod to the popular Netflix survival drama, as part of its ambition to become one of the world’s top three AI powerhouses. The format, like the show that became a symbol of Korea’s cultural soft power, is ruthless: the teams’ AI foundation models face evaluation and elimination every six months by a panel of judges overseen by the Ministry of Science and ICT. The goal is to develop indigenous open-source models that are on par with global frontier models, with two winners expected to be announced early next year. Related Story: Korea Kicks Off AI Squid Game to Compete With US, China Last month, teams led by Naver Cloud and NC AI were eliminated in the previous round . The removal of two teams, instead of the planned one, paved the way for the addition of Motif. Trillion Labs, another AI startup competing with Motif, hoped to compete but didn’t make the cut. Motif, backed by AI software company Moreh, was recognized for its experience designing AI models and achieving performance on par with global competitors, according to the ministry.
Aparna Bawa, Chief Operating Officer at Zoom, discusses the company’s latest AI products and outlook for the sector. She speaks with Paul Allen from the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. (Source: Bloomberg)
Aparna Bawa, Chief Operating Officer at Zoom, discusses the company’s latest AI products and outlook for the sector. She speaks with Paul Allen from the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. (Source: Bloomberg)
Iran partially and temporarily closed the strategic Strait of Hormuz during a military drill on Tuesday, thrusting the vital shipping route under the global spotlight once again. The hours-long suspension was the first time Tehran had restricted traffic through the strait since US President Donald Trump’s warning last month that Washington could take military action over Iran’s nuclear programme, ...
Iran partially and temporarily closed the strategic Strait of Hormuz during a military drill on Tuesday, thrusting the vital shipping route under the global spotlight once again. The hours-long suspension was the first time Tehran had restricted traffic through the strait since US President Donald Trump’s warning last month that Washington could take military action over Iran’s nuclear programme, with tensions still high between the two sides despite recent bilateral talks in Geneva. Here, we...
(RTTNews) - European stocks traded mostly higher on Friday and were set for weekly gains on the back of strong corporate earnings and easing AI concerns.
(RTTNews) - European stocks traded mostly higher on Friday and were set for weekly gains on the back of strong corporate earnings and easing AI concerns.
If you have $2,000 available to invest today, there are many amazing stocks that could offer different benefits for your portfolio. You might be looking for value or dividends, for example, to keep a well-diversified portfolio . However, if you're looking for stocks that could double your money over the next few years or even faster, I recommend e.l.f. Beauty (NYSE: ELF) and MercadoLibre (NASDAQ: ...
If you have $2,000 available to invest today, there are many amazing stocks that could offer different benefits for your portfolio. You might be looking for value or dividends, for example, to keep a well-diversified portfolio . However, if you're looking for stocks that could double your money over the next few years or even faster, I recommend e.l.f. Beauty (NYSE: ELF) and MercadoLibre (NASDAQ: MELI) . Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading
US Plans Sprawling Base For 5,000 International Troops In Southern Gaza "The Board of Peace is going to almost be looking over the United Nations and making sure it runs properly," Trump claimed in Thursday remarks during the inaugural meeting of the panel in Washington. He said this in response to some allies - which are not participating - recently complaining that post-Gaza war reconstruction s...
US Plans Sprawling Base For 5,000 International Troops In Southern Gaza "The Board of Peace is going to almost be looking over the United Nations and making sure it runs properly," Trump claimed in Thursday remarks during the inaugural meeting of the panel in Washington. He said this in response to some allies - which are not participating - recently complaining that post-Gaza war reconstruction should be directly under UN auspices, and not a US-overseen board based on paying membership (the one billion dollar buy-in fee). Apart from that controversy, the biggest Board of Peace development is being reported in The Guardian , which says Trump is advancing plans for a major US military installation inside the Gaza Strip, envisioned as the "military operating base" for future international forces . Image: USAF in Israel. While unconfirmed, the report outlines "the phased construction of a military outpost that will eventually have a footprint of 1,400 meters by 1,100 meters, ringed by 26 trailer-mounted armored watch towers, a small arms range, bunkers, and a warehouse for military equipment for operations" - with the entire compound enclosed by barbed wire. It would reportedly house 5,000 personnel . The proposed site is to be located in southern Gaza, according to more: "A small group of bidders – international construction companies with experience in war zones – have already been shown the area in a site visit." The report indicates the contracting document was issued by the Trump-led board, but hasn't been made public: “The Contractor shall conduct a geophysical survey of the site to identify any subterranean voids, tunnels, or large cavities per phase,” the ‘Board of Peace’ document states . “If suspected human remains or cultural artifacts are discovered , all work in the immediate area must cease immediately, the area must be secured, and the Contracting Officer must be notified immediately for direction.” Likely, thousands of bodies are still buried underneath...
Minor International Pcl — Thailand’s largest hotel and restaurant chain operator — plans to set up its first real estate investment trust worth about $1 billion, and is exploring a Hong Kong listing of its restaurant unit to raise funds for debt repayment. The company will sell 14 hotels in Europe and Thailand into the REIT, Chief Executive Officer Dillip Rajakarier said in a press briefing in Ban...
Minor International Pcl — Thailand’s largest hotel and restaurant chain operator — plans to set up its first real estate investment trust worth about $1 billion, and is exploring a Hong Kong listing of its restaurant unit to raise funds for debt repayment. The company will sell 14 hotels in Europe and Thailand into the REIT, Chief Executive Officer Dillip Rajakarier said in a press briefing in Bangkok on Friday, adding that the trust will be listed in Singapore in the second half of this year. It is also exploring a Hong Kong listing for its restaurant unit, Minor Food Pcl , Rajakarier said, confirming a Bloomberg News report last week. Hong Kong is being considered for its potentially higher valuations and broader investor base. A final decision on the IPO is expected in the second quarter, with a potential listing later this year. Minor, whose hotels in Thailand were featured in the hit series White Lotus, has been cutting debt to ease investor concerns after its 2018 acquisition of NH Hotel Group SA significantly increased liabilities. The company aims to reduce its debt-to-equity ratio to about 1.4 times this year, from 1.8 times at the end of 2025. “We will continue our deleveraging attempt to bring our debt level to a comfortable level,” he said. “Lower debt will help lift the overhang that has affected our stock price.” The overseas listings would also underscore the Thai stock market’s diminishing appeal, weighed down by weak economic growth and political uncertainty, even after a post-election rebound in equities. Minor expects net income to grow by as much as 20% annually over the next three years, driven by the expansion of new hotels and restaurants overseas. Already one of Asia’s largest hospitality groups, the company plans to increase the number of hotels under management to 850 by 2028, up from 636 last year. It also aims to operate more than 4,000 restaurants by 2028, expanding in Asian markets including India, Indonesia and Vietnam, compared with n...