Two ETFs for those seeking bonds

Article Excerpt

Interest rates moved up substantially in 2022—the Bank of Canada raised its benchmark interest rate during the year to 4.25% in December from just 0.50% in March! This has made it more attractive to invest in fixed-income instruments, including corporate and government bonds. However, further rate increases—which are still possible—would push down their returns. (Bond prices and interest rates are inversely linked: when interest rates go up, bond prices go down, and vice versa.) It’s why we caution even our conservative investors that holding bonds can be riskier that it appears. However, if you need stable income and want to hold bonds, these two ETFs offer lower fees and high-quality holdings. Each is a buy. The supplement section starting on page 19 discusses the role of fixed income in balanced portfolios, while the box on the next page elaborates on the basic mechanics of the bond market. BMO AGGREGATE BOND INDEX ETF $13.73 (Toronto symbol ZAG; TSINetwork ETF Rating: Income; Market cap: $6.5 billion) tracks the FTSE Canada…