Skip to main content

iShares Fixed Income ETFs Are First to Be Analyzed on Bloomberg Yield and Spread Analysis Tool

BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK) announced today that its iShares fixed income Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) can now be analyzed using Bloomberg’s Yield and Spread Analysis (YAS) tool. Originally developed for individual bonds, YAS has been enhanced to analyze the yield spread and interest rate risk sensitivity of select fixed income ETFs. iShares fixed income ETFs were the first of their kind to be valued using this enhanced functionality.

“As the first provider of fixed income ETFs, iShares continues to be committed to opening traditionally opaque markets and breaking down the barriers to fixed income ETF usage. Bloomberg’s enhancements to the YAS tool represent a significant step forward,” said Matthew Tucker, Head of iShares Fixed Income Investment Strategy at BlackRock. “By offering bond analytics on iShares fixed income ETFs, Bloomberg is giving institutional investors important tools to conduct due diligence and evaluate an ETF in the same way they would an individual bond.”

“Investors want better, more sophisticated tools to keep pace with the growing fixed income ETF market," said Ben Macdonald, Bloomberg's Global Head of Fixed Income. "This enhancement to our platform is another example of how Bloomberg continues to add value for our clients by providing transparency and efficiencies across markets.”

With the Bloomberg YAS enhanced functionality, Bloomberg users can:

  • Analyze fixed income ETFs the same way individual bonds are analyzed
  • View a last-traded ETF price, converted to yield
  • Perform traditional yield and yield spread analysis versus a selected benchmark
  • Input custom parameters to analyze the relationship between price, yield and spread
  • Measure risk based on custom inputs to determine whether an ETF meets pre-determined investment criteria

In addition to YAS, Bloomberg enhanced its Cashflow Analysis tool (CSHF) to provide users with the ability to view the cash flows, coupon payments and maturities of the bonds within an ETF.

In July 2012, iShares predicted that the global fixed income ETF market will exceed $2 trillion in the next decade. According to BlackRock’s ETP Landscape Report, fixed income ETFs have attracted $60.7 billion in net new assets globally year-to-date through October 2012, which represents 32% of all ETF inflows globally.

Matt Tucker said, “We hope that by providing tools that treat iShares fixed income ETFs like a bond that more fixed income investors will adopt fixed income ETFs.”

The twenty iShares fixed income ETFs currently available for YAS analysis include:

Government

The iShares Barclays Short Treasury Bond Fund (Ticker: SHV)
The iShares Barclays 1-3 Year Treasury Bond Fund (Ticker: SHY)
The iShares Barclays 3-7 Year Treasury Bond Fund (Ticker: IEI)
The iShares Barclays 7-10 Year Treasury Bond Fund (Ticker: IEF)
The iShares Barclays 10-20 Year Treasury Bond Fund (Ticker: TLH)
The iShares Barclays 20+ Year Treasury Bond Fund (Ticker: TLT)
The iShares Barclays U.S. Treasury Bond Fund (Ticker: GOVT)
The iShares Barclays Agency Bond Fund (Ticker: AGZ)

Government/Credit

The iShares Barclays Intermediate Government/Credit Bond Fund (Ticker: GVI)

High Yield

The iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond Fund (Ticker: HYG)

Credit

The iShares Barclays Credit Bond Fund (Ticker: CFT)
The iShares 10+ Year Credit Bond Fund (Ticker: CLY)
The iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond Fund (Ticker: LQD)
The iShares Aaa - A Rated Corporate Bond Fund (Ticker: QLTA)
The iShares Financials Sector Bond Fund (Ticker: MONY)
The iShares Industrials Sector Bond Fund (Ticker: ENGN)
The iShares Utilities Sector Bond Fund (Ticker: AMPS)

Municipal Bonds

The iShares S&P National AMT-Free Municipal Bond Fund (Ticker: MUB)
The iShares S&P California AMT-Free Municipal Bond Fund (Ticker: CMF)

Emerging Markets

The iShares J.P. Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond Fund (Ticker: EMB)

About BlackRock

BlackRock is a leader in investment management, risk management and advisory services for institutional and retail clients worldwide. At September 30, 2012, BlackRock’s AUM was $3.673 trillion. BlackRock offers products that span the risk spectrum to meet clients’ needs, including active, enhanced and index strategies across markets and asset classes. Products are offered in a variety of structures including separate accounts, mutual funds, iShares® (exchange traded funds), and other pooled investment vehicles. BlackRock also offers risk management, advisory and enterprise investment system services to a broad base of institutional investors through BlackRock Solutions®. Headquartered in New York City, as of September 30, 2012, the firm has approximately 10,400 employees in 29 countries and a major presence in key global markets, including North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East and Africa. For additional information, please visit the Company's website at www.blackrock.com.

About iShares

iShares is the global product leader in exchange traded funds with over 600 funds globally across equities, fixed income and commodities, which trade on 20 exchanges worldwide. The iShares Funds are bought and sold like common stocks on securities exchanges. The iShares Funds are attractive to many individual and institutional investors and financial intermediaries because of their relative low cost, tax efficiency and trading flexibility. Investors can purchase and sell shares through any brokerage firm, financial advisor, or online broker, and hold the funds in any type of brokerage account. The iShares customer base consists of the institutional segment of pension plans and fund managers, as well as the retail segment of financial advisors and high net worth individuals.

Carefully consider the iShares Funds’ investment objectives, risk factors, and charges and expenses before investing. This and other information can be found in the Funds’ prospectuses, which may be obtained by calling 1-800-iShares (1-800-474-2737) or by visiting www.iShares.com. Read the prospectus carefully before investing.

Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal.

The iShares Funds are distributed by BlackRock Investments, LLC (together with its affiliates, “BlackRock”).

Bonds and bond funds will decrease in value as interest rates rise and are subject to credit risk, which refers to the possibility that the debt issuers may not be able to make principal and interest payments or may have their debt downgraded by ratings agencies.

Transactions in shares of the iShares Funds will result in brokerage commissions and will generate tax consequences. iShares Funds are obliged to distribute portfolio gains to shareholders. Shares of the iShares Funds may be sold throughout the day on the exchange through any brokerage account. However, shares may only be redeemed directly from a Fund by Authorized Participants, in very large creation/redemption units.

The iShares Funds are distributed by BlackRock Investments, LLC (together with its affiliates, “BlackRock”).

The iShares Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, issued, sold or promoted by JPMorgan Chase & Co., Markit Indices Limited, or Standard & Poor’s, nor are they sponsored , endorsed or issued by Barclays Capital Inc. None of these companies make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in the Funds. BlackRock is not affiliated with the companies listed above. iS-8624

Contacts:

BlackRock, Inc.
Christine Hudacko, 415-670-2687
christine.hudacko@blackrock.com

Data & News supplied by www.cloudquote.io
Stock quotes supplied by Barchart
Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes.
By accessing this page, you agree to the following
Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.