With the expectation that the Federal Reserve will be able to deftly guide the economy into a soft landing, the spread between corporate bonds and safe haven Treasuries has been narrowing. As the Financial Times noted, the spread between the two has narrowed to its smallest gap since March 2005, or almost 20 years.
Investors may be anxious with potential short-term volatility on the horizon. But opportunities do exist in the fixed income space.
Rate cut expectations pushed more investors into investment-grade corporate bonds the past quarter, giving the asset class their best performance in nearly a year. “US high-grade corporate bonds logged their first quarterly gain this year in the past three months, returning 5.
Rate cuts can produce a macroeconomic environment conducive to corporate bonds, allowing companies to borrow more money at lower rates. This could see more investors move into corporate bonds for greater yield opportunities.
Despite the heavy volatility during the month of August, ETFs saw a record number of inflows. This includes bond-focused funds, which are offering opportunities in corporate debt.
The closing gap in credit spreads after the August 5 sell-off is bringing corporate bonds back into the spotlight. Those looking for an intermediate bond ETF with yield opportunities and a muted credit risk profile should take a closer look at the Vanguard Interim-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCIT).
The August 5 sell-off may have spooked investors from riskier assets, but tightening credit spreads between high-quality and high-risk bonds shows that investors may be returning to corporate bonds again. A weak July jobs report sparked recession fears, spurring a flight to safe haven assets like Treasuries.
Whether it's due to a correction or potential recession, the stock market is certainly experiencing a heavy dosage of volatility. Given this, it's an ideal time to add bonds, especially if they are poised to outperform stocks over the next 10 years.
When looking to pair yield and credit quality, corporate bonds are an ideal option, especially when it comes to investment-grade. Additionally, investors also laud the diversification benefits they offer to a fixed income portfolio.
Corporate bonds continue to garner interest as investors may be locking in current yields now before eventual rate cuts take place. In the meantime, it's an ideal time to consider corporate bond funds, especially given the attractive yields.
Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF invests in investment grade corporate bonds with weighted average maturity of 5 to 10 years. VCIT aims to provide moderate and sustainable current income with a low annual cost of 0.04% to unitholders. We will tell you why this fund is likely to beat equities and how you can beat this fund.
Fixed income investors looking for the dual benefit of price appreciation and high yields need not look any further than corporate bonds ETFs. Three offerings from Vanguard can suit investors as stand-alone exposure or for bond laddering purposes.