It's Time to Play the Long Game in These Bond ETFs
After the Fed just cut rates a second time this year, a steeper yield curve could force bond investors to reconsider the long end again. That said, they can play the long game with ETF options from Vanguard that focus on maximizing yield by investing in bonds with maturity dates extending past 10 years.
BLV: Time To Take Another Look As Long Bonds Offer Opportunity
BLV's long duration amplifies both risk and potential reward, making it highly sensitive to interest rate changes and recent market volatility. Current yields are attractive, but tight credit spreads and economic uncertainty suggest caution, especially for investors wary of corporate credit risk. Investors seeking stability may prefer shorter-duration or treasury-only funds, as BLV's volatility can be significant in the near term.
BLV: Long Term Treasury And Corporate Debt Opportunities
BLV offers diversified exposure to long-term, investment-grade US government and corporate bonds, but is highly sensitive to interest rate changes due to its long duration. Current macro metrics indicate stabilization and potential for future rallies, yet recent positive convexity and monetary easing expectations have already boosted BLV's performance. Fed policy shifts, especially QE and balance sheet changes, significantly impact BLV's NAV; recent trends show increased demand for long-maturity bonds.
BLV: Needs A Recession To Outperform (Rating Downgrade)
The Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index Fund ETF (BLV) is currently a 'Sell' due to unfavorable macro conditions and narrow corporate spreads. BLV's long duration of 13.5 years makes it highly sensitive to changes in corporate credit spreads and long-term interest rates. Corporate spreads are at historic lows, and rising risk-free rates due to U.S. debt concerns pose significant downside risks.
These Vanguard ETFs Rebounded After Trump's First Days Back in the White House. Should Investors Beware the Bounce?
Quite a few stocks gained momentum in the weeks preceding Donald Trump's second inauguration as U.S. president. It was a different story for most bonds, though.
Why BLV Is Outclassed By Long-Term Treasury Funds
Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares tracks the Bloomberg U.S. Long Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index, offering diversified exposure to long-term, investment-grade U.S. bonds with 10+ years to maturity. BLV holds a roughly 50/50 mix of corporate and government bonds, plus minor municipal and cash holdings, as per Seeking Alpha. VGIT is preferred over BLV for fixed income positions due to its lower correlation with equities, enhancing portfolio stability.
Consider Long-Term Bonds as Interest Rates Fall
With short-term bonds getting most of the fanfare during the Fed's aggressive rate hiking cycle, more investors are looking to long-term bonds again. This is especially the case as interest rates fall amid Fed easing.
3 Long-Term Bond ETFs for a Steepening Yield Curve
Aggressive rate hikes by the Federal Reserve added to a steeper yield curve the last few years. But easing monetary policy has seen it flatten as of late.
Got $10,000? These ETFs Could Turn It Into Over $500 of Annual Passive Income.
These ETFs can produce a lot of passive income.
BLV: Long-Term Treasuries May Stay Under Pressure For A While
The macro landscape for long-term bonds is tricky these days. Given the extreme political and fiscal uncertainty, I don't expect any meaningful appreciation of long-term bonds as long as the US is not in a recession. I'm neutral on the BLV for now, but there are still reasons to be optimistic in the longer term.
$100,000 Invested in These 3 Vanguard ETFs Could Pay You $5,400 in Annual Income
Income investors will find a lot to like with these Vanguard exchange-traded funds.
2 Vanguard ETFs to Buy Hand Over Fist and 1 to Avoid
The time is right for two Vanguard ETFs.
