
Monthly fixed income ETF update
April's fixed income markets saw mixed performance and volatility. Read our latest thoughts on how fixed income markets fared during the month and what we think you should be looking out for in the near term.
We manage $91 billion in global investment grade credit assets.1
Our portfolio managers average 23 years of experience.1
Our experience fixed income team is made up of 182 investment professionals across the globe.1
We bring the vast resources of a global asset manager while remaining agile enough to potentially add value through security selection. Dive into our breadth of active, passive, and environmental, social and governance solutions.
Investment grade corporate bonds can play an important role as income generators in investor portfolios.
This made them popular with investors in the years following the global financial crisis, when the world lived through a sustained period of ultra-low yields.
Learn more about the opportunities we see in today’s market.
Monthly fixed income ETF update
April's fixed income markets saw mixed performance and volatility. Read our latest thoughts on how fixed income markets fared during the month and what we think you should be looking out for in the near term.
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Investment grade credit are bonds or other fixed-income securities rated at a certain level of creditworthiness by rating agencies. These securities are considered to have a lower risk of default compared to non-investment grade (also known as “high yield” or “junk”) bonds. The ratings for investment grade credit typically range from BBB- or Baa3 (low) to AAA or Aaa (high).
Investment grade bonds are rated by credit rating agencies like Standard & Poor’s (S&P), Moody's, and Fitch. The ratings are based on the issuer’s financial health, historical performance, and overall economic environment. Ratings range from AAA (highest quality, lowest risk) to BBB- (lower quality, higher risk but still considered investment grade). For example:
AAA/Aaa: Highest credit quality, minimal risk.
AA/Aa: High credit quality, very low risk.
A: Strong credit quality, low risk.
BBB/Baa: Adequate credit quality, moderate risk, but still investment grade.
The credit rating on a bond will be associated with the premium or “spread” demanded for holding it: the higher the risk, the more issuers will have to pay investors.
Bond prices in general work inversely to interest rates. So, when interest rates rise, the price of existing bonds typically falls. When interest rates fall, the price of existing bonds usually increases. The extent of the price change will depend on several factors including the time to maturity of the bond, its coupon level and frequency. The sensitivity to interest rate changes can be worked out mathematically and is known as “duration”. Bonds with longer maturities and lower coupons, which are more frequently found in investment grade, are more sensitive to interest rate changes, something investors should be aware of. But corporate and other investment grade bonds will generally have a lower interest rate sensitivity than equivalent government bonds, thanks to the additional credit premium in the coupon.