ETF Trends
As volatility seen has been racking the capital markets as of late, it has spurred activity in the bond markets, but BBB bonds, the lowest of investment-grade bonds, is one looming risk that could put the use of strategic fixed income funds in focus. BBB bonds comprise almost 50% of the $5.8 trillion investment-grade bond market and a lack of liquidity could leave BBB bond investors holding the debt as it toes the line between investment grade and junk bond status–the worry, of course, being that it may eventually fall into the category of the latter. “Over the past decade, the investment-grade corporate bond market has grown as issuers have taken advantage of rock-bottom interest rates and increased demand from yield-starved investors,” wrote Karen Schenone, Fixed Income Strategist at BlackRock.