VanEck J. P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ET (EMLC)

Four bond-focused ETFs provide a broad access point to the bond market at a time in which investors may be skeptical of stocks.

A new world order has emerged in the three weeks since President Trump on Apr. 2 announced “Liberation Day” and rolled out US tariffs.

January is shaping up to be a rough month for the major asset classes, with one exception: commodities.

The rally in global assets broadened in March, lifting nearly every slice of the major asset classes. The downside outlier: bonds in emerging markets. Otherwise, last month delivered a clean sweep of gains, based on a set of ETFs.

Last weekend, I made note of the fact that the S&P 500 and other market averages were experiencing a classic Bollinger Band squeeze. That didn’t start, though, until Friday, when the S&P 500 rallied to close above its upper 20-day Bollinger Band.

The global rise in interest rates may be peaking, a view that’s helped lift most corners of foreign bond markets year to date, based on a set of ETFs.

American shares remain firmly in the lead for the major asset classes year to date, based on a set of ETF proxies.

Buyers pushed up prices for most of the major asset classes last week. US bonds were the downside outliers, based on a set of ETFs.

VanEck J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF rose 0.8% last week, lifting the fund to its highest weekly close in more than a year.

These three high yield bond ETFs have the potential to deliver steady income in various market conditions.

US-listed real estate investment trusts posted the strongest gain for the major asset classes in last week’s mostly quiet trading, based on a set of ETF proxies.

Bonds issued by companies outside the US rose for a fifth straight week, securing the strongest performance for the major asset classes, based on a set of ETFs in last week’s trading.

Commodities are set to post the strongest gain in 2022 by far for the major asset classes.

This year’s selling looked excessive in developed-market shares ex-US and so the crowd continued to snap up stocks in this bucket during last week.

Nearly all the major asset classes posted gains in the trading week through Friday, Aug. 12, based on a set of proxy ETFs.

The majority of the major asset classes rebounded in July, providing relief from an extended run of red ink, based on a set of proxy ETFs.

For one week, global markets delivered something other than gloom via a uniform rise in prices for the major asset classes over the trading week through Friday, July 22.

Fixed-income markets in the US reverted to their traditional role of delivering upside support when the rest of the portfolio tanks however it’s too soon to say if this is a return to form for bonds for an extended period.

The estimated risk premium for the Global Market Index continues to ease. The revised long-term outlook projects an annualized return of 4.9%.

As risk-off messages go, the markets couldn’t be any clearer in June. Losses weighed on every slice of the major asset classes.

A relief rally lifted most markets around the globe for the trading week through Friday, June 24, based on a set of ETF proxies.

Markets suffered a clean sweep of losses last week. It’s a rare event, but it happens.

Broadly defined commodities posted another gain for the trading week through Friday, June 10 while the remaining slices of the major asset classes fell, based on a set of ETF proxies.

After weeks of widespread losses, markets around the world were mostly higher for the trading week through Friday, May 20, based on a set of ETFs. The main exceptions: stocks and real estate investment trusts in the US, which posted big declines.

Fixed income showed some of its traditional diversification edges last week as selling took a toll elsewhere for the major asset classes.