The past few years have been a boon for fixed income investors. That's because the Fed's aggressive rate-hiking strategy has been driving up yields. The anticipation of rate cuts building may cause fixed income investors to fret. But an ultra-short bond option in the Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF (VUSB) could help ease those worries.
The prevailing sentiment is that the Fed won’t likely pivot from its rate-cutting goals this year. But inflation data could show that the economy is running hotter than expected. VUSB essentially helps to insulate against potential rate hikes by focusing on debt with maturities of less than two years. That reduces rate risk. It's almost imperative given the Fed's proclivity to make rate decisions based on economic data. That said, the data shows rate cuts won't happen as quickly as expected.
"The Fed is considering rate cuts only because inflation has steadily fallen from a peak of 9.1% in June 2022," AP News reported. "As a result, it is approaching rate cuts the way it usually does rate hikes: Slowly and methodically, while trying to divine the economy’s direction from often-conflicting data."
Low Cost With Active Management
VUSB has a 30-day SEC yield of just over 5%, as of March 14. That makes it an attractive option for those looking to park their cash temporarily. It's a compelling alternative to a money market account that earns interest. Furthermore, VUSB is actively managed, allowing for flexibility in the ultra-short-term bond market, at a low expense ratio of just 0.10%.
