The CCC-BB spread tracks the difference in yield between lower-quality speculative-grade bonds (CCC-rated) and higher-quality junk bonds (BB-rated). When this spread widens, it signals that investors are demanding greater compensation for holding the riskiest credits (a classic early-warning signal of stress building in financial markets). When it tightens, it reflects investor confidence and a healthy appetite for risk. What the Data Is Telling Us Over the past two years, this spread has...

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, March 10, 2026 Astoria today announces that assets under management (AUM) across its exchange-traded fund (ETF) suite have surpassed $500 million, marking a major milestone for the firm and reflecting strong investor demand for Astoria’s actively managed, quantitatively-driven ETF strategies. Astoria’s ETF platform provides investors with differentiated exposure across actively managed equities, real assets, and dynamic fixed income, areas designed to help...

Broadening Market Leadership Persists in February Amid heightened scrutiny of AI-related capex, geopolitical tensions, and a hotter-than-expected inflation report late in the month, US large-cap equities came under pressure in February, with the Nasdaq 100 and S&P 500 declining 2.3% and 0.8%, respectively. However, market leadership continued to broaden beyond mega-caps, as the S&P 500 Equal Weight Index (+3.6%) outperformed its market-cap-weighted counterpart. International developed...