A plethora of funds, most of them closed-end, have cropped up with covered calls in their portfolios. Among them: Invesco Powershares S&P 500 Buy-Write (PBP), Madison/Claymore Covered Call (MCN), Nuveen Equity Premium Income (JSN), Gamco Natural Resources Gold-Income (GNT), and Black Rock Enhanced Dividend Achievers (BDJ).
Does option-writing really enhance returns? Not in bull markets, that’s for sure. The Invesco Buy-Write fund, says Morningstar, has earned 9% a year over the past three years, to the S&P’s 15%. Perhaps this fund can catch up, if only we get a nice crash.