Resources

Before Economic Forums were mainstream on Wall Street, our investment professionals were gathering to identify economic and market trends for our clients. Decades later, the cornerstone of our process is stronger and more important than ever.

Tony Crescenzi and host John Nersesian take a deep dive into today’s bond market and the impact of Fed policy, how investors should be thinking about their fixed income allocations now, and the compelling opportunities presented by higher starting yields across sectors. To explore outcomes for every market, visit pimco.com/outcomes.

Even after gold ceased to be the “standard” in the global monetary system last century, it maintains its glitter as a viable investment, especially during periods of rising inflation.

Alternative investments offer opportunities to diversify portfolios in times of market uncertainty. But among a range of options, investors must first understand the risks and benefits.

As investors, we believe ESG fixed income – or bonds – could soon rise to a place of leadership in sustainable investing.

Not all characteristics of alternative investments are widely understood by investors. Read on as we demystify 5 common misperceptions.

High yield bonds – defined as corporate bonds rated below BBB− or Baa3 by established credit rating agencies – can play an important role in many portfolios. They typically offer higher coupons than government bonds or high grade corporate bonds (or, corporates) and have the potential for price appreciation in the event of an improvement in the economy, or performance of the issuing company (of course, if these conditions worsen, then prices can also go down). Because the high yield sector generally has a low correlation to other sectors of the fixed income market along with less sensitivity to interest rate risk, an allocation to high yield bonds may provide portfolio diversification benefits. In addition, high yield bond investments have historically offered similar returns to equity markets, but with lower volatility.

The bond market is by far the largest securities market in the world, providing investors with virtually limitless investment options. Many investors are familiar with aspects of the market, but as the number of new products grows, even a bond expert is challenged to keep pace. Once viewed as a means of earning interest while preserving capital, bonds have evolved into a $100 trillion global marketplace that can offer many potential benefits to investment portfolios, including attractive returns. Before tackling the complexities of this huge and diverse market, it is important to understand the basics: What is a bond and how can bonds help meet your investment goals?

Interest rate swaps have become an integral part of the fixed income market. These derivative contracts, which typically exchange – or swap – fixed-rate interest payments for floating-rate interest payments, are an essential tool for investors who use them in an effort to hedge, speculate, and manage risk.