Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Fund Inc. (NYSE:EMD) Short Interest Up 99.7% in July

Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Fund Inc. (NYSE:EMD) was the recipient of a large growth in short interest in July. As of July 31st, there was short interest totaling 256,574 shares, a growth of 99.7% from the July 15th total of 128,485 shares. Currently, 0.9% of the company’s stock are sold short. Based on an average trading volume of 189,486 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 1.4 days.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in EMD. Waterfront Wealth Inc. bought a new position in shares of Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Fund in the 1st quarter valued at about $106,000. Equitable Holdings Inc. acquired a new position in Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Fund during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $118,000. Evolve Private Wealth LLC acquired a new position in Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Fund during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $124,000. HRT Financial LP bought a new position in Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Fund in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $127,000. Finally, Titiun Yejiel bought a new position in Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Fund in the second quarter valued at approximately $129,000. Institutional investors own 33.05% of the company’s stock.

Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Fund Stock Up 1.1%

NYSE:EMD opened at $10.57 on Tuesday. Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Fund has a twelve month low of $9.60 and a twelve month high of $11.30. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $10.60 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $10.61.

Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Fund Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, September 23rd will be given a $0.095 dividend. This is a boost from Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Fund’s previous monthly dividend of $0.03. This represents a c) dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 10.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, September 23rd.

About Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Fund

Western Asset Emerging Markets Debt Fund Inc (NYSE: EMD) is a closed-end management investment company launched in December 2004 and managed by Western Asset Management Company, a global fixed-income specialist. The fund seeks to provide a high level of current income by investing primarily in debt securities issued by sovereign, quasi-sovereign and corporate issuers in emerging markets. Its diversified approach combines top-down macroeconomic analysis with bottom-up credit research to identify attractive risk-adjusted opportunities across developing economies.

EMD’s portfolio spans a wide range of instruments, including sovereign government bonds, supranational obligations, corporate credits and other fixed-income securities.