Active Fixed Income Perspectives Q2 2024: Data dependent (2024)

Active fixed income research team

Active fixed income at Vanguard

Note:Data as of March 31, 2024.

Vanguard perspectives series

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For more information about Vanguard funds or Vanguard ETFs, visit advisors.vanguard.com or call 800-997-2798 to obtain a prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus. Investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other important information are contained in the prospectus; read and consider it carefully before investing.

Vanguard ETF Shares are not redeemable with the issuing Fund other than in very large aggregations worth millions of dollars. Instead, investors must buy and sell Vanguard ETF Shares in the secondary market and hold those shares in a brokerage account. In doing so, the investor may incur brokerage commissions and may pay more than net asset value when buying and receive less than net asset value when selling.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. All investing is subject to risk, including possible loss of principal. Diversification does not ensure a profit or protect against a loss.

Bonds of companies based in emerging markets are subject to national and regional political and economic risks and to the risk of currency fluctuations. These risks are especially high in emerging markets.

High-yield bonds generally have medium- and lower-range credit-quality ratings and are therefore subject to a higher level of credit risk than bonds with higher credit-quality ratings.

Bond funds are subject to interest rate risk, which is the chance bond prices overall will decline because of rising interest rates, and credit risk, which is the chance a bond issuer will fail to pay interest and principal in a timely manner or that negative perceptions of the issuer’s ability to make such payments will cause the price of that bond to decline.

U.S. government backing of Treasury or agency securities applies only to the underlying securities and does not prevent share-price fluctuations. Unlike stocks and bonds, U.S. Treasury bills are guaranteed as to the timely payment of principal and interest.

Investments in bonds issued by non-U.S. companies are subject to risks including country/regional risk and currency risk.

Although the income from a municipal bond fund is exempt from federal tax, you may owe taxes on any capital gains realized through the fund’s trading or through your own redemption of shares. For some investors, a portion of the fund’s income may be subject to state and local taxes, as well as to the federal Alternative Minimum Tax.

Be aware that fluctuations in the financial markets and other factors may cause declines in the value of your account. There is no guarantee that any particular asset allocation or mix of funds will meet your investment objectives or provide you with a given level of income.

IMPORTANT: The projections and other information generated by the Vanguard Capital Markets Model (VCMM) regarding the likelihood of various investment outcomes are hypothetical in nature, do not reflect actual investment results, and are not guarantees of future results. VCMM results will vary with each use and over time.

The VCMM projections are based on a statistical analysis of historical data. Future returns may behave differently from the historical patterns captured in the VCMM. More important, the VCMM may be underestimating extreme negative scenarios unobserved in the historical period on which the model estimation is based.

The Vanguard Capital Markets Model® is a proprietary financial simulation tool developed and maintained by Vanguard’s primary investment research and advice teams. The model forecasts distributions of future returns for a wide array of broad asset classes. Those asset classes include U.S. and international equity markets, several maturities of the U.S. Treasury and corporate fixed income markets, international fixed income markets, U.S. money markets, commodities, and certain alternative investment strategies. The theoretical and empirical foundation for the Vanguard Capital Markets Model is that the returns of various asset classes reflect the compensation investors require for bearing different types of systematic risk (beta). At the core of the model are estimates of the dynamic statistical relationship between risk factors and asset returns, obtained from statistical analysis based on available monthly financial and economic data from as early as 1960. Using a system of estimated equations, the model then applies a Monte Carlo simulation method to project the estimated interrelationships among risk factors and asset classes as well as uncertainty and randomness over time. The model generates a large set of simulated outcomes for each asset class over several time horizons. Forecasts are obtained by computing measures of central tendency in these simulations. Results produced by the tool will vary with each use and over time.

CFA® is a registered trademark owned by CFA Institute.

Active Fixed Income Perspectives Q2 2024: Data dependent (2024)

FAQs

Should you buy bonds when interest rates are high? ›

Should I only buy bonds when interest rates are high? There are advantages to purchasing bonds after interest rates have risen. Along with generating a larger income stream, such bonds may be subject to less interest rate risk, as there may be a reduced chance of rates moving significantly higher from current levels.

How profitable are Vanguard fixed income funds? ›

Start by seeing how we compare with our competition: 92% of Vanguard active bond funds outperformed their peer-group averages at 5 years and 82% of Vanguard active taxable bond funds were in the top quartile of peers at 3 years.

What are the advantages of short-term bond funds? ›

Bonds with shorter times to maturity are less sensitive to changes in interest rates than longer-term bonds, meaning investors won't suffer as much if rates head higher. Remember, interest rates and bond prices move in opposite directions, so as rates rise, bond prices fall and vice versa.

What is an active bond ETF? ›

Vanguard Core Bond (VCRB) and Vanguard Core-Plus Bond (VPLS) are active fixed income ETFs that can serve as a single-fund fixed income holding. They both provide actively managed exposure to the broad U.S. fixed income market and are diversified across a range of sectors, credit qualities, and maturities.

Is it a good time to buy bonds in 2024? ›

Starting yields, potential rate cuts and a return to contrasting performance for stocks and bonds could mean an attractive environment for fixed income in 2024.

Is it a good time to buy bonds now? ›

Answer: Now may be the perfect time to invest in bonds. Yields are at levels you could only dream of 15 years ago, so you'd be locking in substantial, regular income. And, of course, bonds act as a diversifier to your stock portfolio.

Who is the best fixed income manager? ›

Top Performing Managers of Global Fixed Income, 2nd Quarter 2023
Global Fixed Income1 year gross return1 year net return
Wellington Opportunistic Fixed Income11.2410.62
Invesco International Bond10.6010.01
BlueBay US Fixed Income-High Yield(USD)9.258.36
Brandywine Global Unconstrained F/I7.847.10
6 more rows
Aug 22, 2023

Which Vanguard fund has the highest return? ›

Vanguard High-Yield Corporate Fund (VWEAX)

The Vanguard High-Yield Corporate Fund is the company's top performing bond fund over the past decade. It features a high-yield, intermediate-term fixed income portfolio.

What is the best fixed income investment? ›

Best fixed-income investment vehicles
  • Bond funds. ...
  • Municipal bonds. ...
  • High-yield bonds. ...
  • Money market fund. ...
  • Preferred stock. ...
  • Corporate bonds. ...
  • Certificates of deposit. ...
  • Treasury securities.
Mar 31, 2024

Are treasury bills safer than CDs? ›

Treasury bills can be a good choice for those looking for a low-risk, fixed-rate investment that doesn't require setting money aside for as long as a CD might call for. However, you still run the risk of losing out on higher rates and returns if the market is on the upswing while your money is locked in.

What is the best Treasury bond to buy right now? ›

Key Takeaways:
ETFExpense RatioYield to maturity
U.S. Treasury 10 Year Note ETF (UTEN)0.15%4.1%*
iShares iBonds Dec 2033 Term Treasury ETF (IBTO)0.07%4.1%
Global X 1-3 Month T-Bill ETF (CLIP)0.07%5.5%
iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT)0.15%4.4%
3 more rows

Which fidelity bond is the best? ›

7 of the Best Fidelity Bond Funds to Buy for Steady Income
FundExpense ratio30-day SEC yield
Fidelity High Income Fund (SPHIX)0.85%7.3%
Fidelity New Markets Income Fund (FNMIX)0.79%6.5%
Fidelity Short Duration High Income Fund (FSAHX)0.70%7%
Fidelity Low Duration Bond Factor ETF (FLDR)0.15%5.6%
3 more rows
Apr 4, 2024

What is the best mutual fund to invest in in 2024? ›

List of Best Mutual Funds in India sorted by ET Money Ranking
  • Quant Small Cap Fund. ...
  • Quant Mid Cap Fund. ...
  • Kotak Infrastructure and Economic Reform Fund. ...
  • HYBRID Multi Asset Allocation. ...
  • ICICI Prudential Value Discovery Fund. ...
  • ICICI Prudential Focused Equity Fund. ...
  • HYBRID Aggressive Hybrid. ...
  • Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Fund.

What is Vanguard's best performing ETF? ›

10 Best-Performing Vanguard ETFs
TickerCompanyPerformance (1 Year)
MGKVanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF31.26%
VUGVanguard Growth ETF30.68%
VONGVanguard Russell 1000 Growth Index ETF30.25%
VOXVanguard Communication Services ETF29.18%
6 more rows
May 1, 2024

Do active bond funds outperform? ›

Active bond funds outperformed their passive peers in 2023, Morningstar says. These are top performers.

Can you lose money on bonds if held to maturity? ›

After bonds are initially issued, their worth will fluctuate like a stock's would. If you're holding the bond to maturity, the fluctuations won't matter—your interest payments and face value won't change.

When you expected interest rates to rise you would prefer to own bonds with? ›

If rates are expected to increase, consider bonds with shorter durations. These bonds will be less sensitive to a rise in yields and will fall in price less than bonds with higher durations. If rates are expected to decline, consider bonds with higher durations.

Are I bonds a good investment now? ›

Despite the expected rate decline, I bonds are “still a good deal” for long-term investors, according to Ken Tumin, founder and editor of DepositAccounts.com, which closely tracks these assets.

Why is a bond with a higher interest rate often considered a higher risk investment? ›

A bond with a higher interest rate is often considered a higher risk investment because it indicates that the issuer of the bond is offering a higher return to attract investors. This suggests that the issuer may have a higher level of risk associated with its ability to pay back the bond.

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