Low-fee bond funds for steady income

Article Excerpt

Canada’s inflation rate is now at 2.0%, right at the Bank of Canada’s target. This should let the bank keep interest rates low, which holds down our dollar, making our exports cheaper in world markets. That’s good for Canada’s economic growth. Even so, the long-term outlook is for higher interest rates. That’s because heavy deficit spending and the expansion of the money supply in the past few years make higher inflation more likely. We continue to advise against investing in bonds right now. That’s because today’s low interest rates make bonds unattractive, and rising rates would push down their future value. However, if you need stable income and want to hold bonds, these two bond funds offer low fees and high-quality holdings. ISHARES DEX SHORT-TERM BOND INDEX FUND $28.55 (Toronto symbol XSB; buy or sell through brokers) mirrors the performance of the DEX Short- Term Bond Index. This index consists of a wide range of investmentgrade federal, provincial, municipal and…