May 11, 2021
The widely followed S&P National AMT-Free Municipal Bond Index, a broad gauge of municipal debt, is modestly higher over the past month.
Generally speaking, municipal bonds don’t deliver big gains in short time frames, but the index’s recent uptick confirms investors are returning to an asset class many retirees lean on for reducing risk and generating income.
“Investors have poured a net $39 billion into municipal-bond mutual funds this year through Thursday, according to data compiled by Municipal Market Analytics, the most over the same period since 2008,” reports Sebastian Pellejero for the Wall Street Journal. “Returns on the debt, which local governments use to fund public works such as sewers or bridges, have beaten those of corporate bonds and Treasurys.”
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Why a Pullback Could Still Prove Inviting for Municipal Bonds March 9, 2021
Municipal bonds are languishing amid the recent spike in Treasury yields, but that selling pressure could bring opportunities with exchange traded funds like the
MUB seeks to track the investment results of the S&P National AMT-Free Municipal Bond IndexTM. The fund generally will invest at least 90% of its assets in the component securities of the underlying index and may invest up to 10% of its assets in certain futures, options and swap contracts, cash, and cash equivalents. The index measures the performance of the investment-grade segment of the U.S. municipal bond market. Municipal bonds give debt market investors an extra layer of safety given that local government debt typically has a lower rate of default compared to corporate bonds.
Here’s a quick primer on how the three ETFs might fit into your bond portfolio:
TIP: seeks to track the investment results of Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS) Index (Series-L) which composed of inflation-protected U.S. Treasury bonds. While the Federal Reserve appears unflinching when it comes to its stance to keep interest rates low, what will it do if inflation starts to rise? With the increased flows into TIPS to start 2021, investors and traders alike might be sensing that a healing economy will translate into higher inflation in the new year.
IGSB: With its low 0.06% expense ratio, IGSB seeks to track the investment results of the ICE BofA 1-5 Year US Corporate Index. The fund generally invests at least 90% of its assets in securities of the underlying index. The underlying index measures the performance of investment-grade corporate bonds of both U.S. and non-U.S. issuers that are U.S. dollar-denominated and publicly issued in the U.S.
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