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(1:00) – How Many Rate Cuts Should Investors Expect Going Forward?
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(7:05) – Why Is Now The Time To Step Away From Cash?
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(10:40) – What Is The Reason Behind The Popularity of Fixed Income ETFs?
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(19:15) – What Bonds or Bond ETFs Should You Keep On Your Radar Right Now?
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(24:30) – What Are CLOs And Why Are They So Attractive?
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(30:45) – What Risks Should Bond Investors Be Aware Of?
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(35:15) – Episode Roundup: IEI, VGIT, HYDB, BINC, CLOA, JAAA
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Podcast@Zacks.com
In this episode of ETF Spotlight, I speak with Dhruv Nagrath, Director of Fixed-Income Strategy at BlackRock, about attractive opportunities in the bond ETF space in a world of falling interest rates.
The Fed kicked off its rate-cutting cycle with a 50-basis-point cut and indicated gradual reductions in the coming months, as the U.S. economy remains resilient, and inflation cools toward the Fed’s 2% target.
There is still about $6.5 trillion sitting in money market funds. Dhruv explains why investors should consider pulling cash out of money market funds and locking in highly attractive yields with bond ETFs.
U.S.-listed fixed-income ETFs have taken in more than $220 billion year-to-date, as bonds not only offer high income but have also resumed their traditional role as a portfolio diversifier. In fact, bonds have served as strong cushions against stock market volatility in recent months. However, many investors remain significantly underweight in fixed income.
According to BlackRock, investors should focus on attractive opportunities in the intermediate part of the yield curve, particularly in higher-quality credit. Consider the iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF IEI and the Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury Index ETF VGIT.
High-yield bonds could also continue to outperform if the economy remains resilient. The iShares High Yield Systematic Bond ETF HYDB focuses on issuers with healthy balance sheets and attractive valuations.
Actively managed fixed income ETFs have been surging in popularity this year. The BlackRock Flexible Income ETF BINC offers multi-sector fixed-income exposure aimed at maximizing income.
Collateralized loan obligations (CLOs) have been one of the top-performing fixed-income investments this year. Investors have poured a lot of money into CLO ETFs, as they offer higher yields than comparably rated corporate bond ETFs.
The Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF JAAA is the most popular product in this space. The iShares AAA CLO Active ETF CLOA is also worth a look.
What are the biggest market risks currently facing bond investors? Should they worry about the rising U.S. government deficit?
Tune in to the podcast to learn more.
Make sure to be on the lookout for the next edition of the ETF Spotlight and remember to subscribe! If you have any comments or questions, please email podcast@zacks.com.
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iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEI): ETF Research Reports
Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF (VGIT): ETF Research Reports
iShares High Yield Systematic Bond ETF (HYDB): ETF Research Reports