Dec. 24 at 1:36 PM
#SPMNOTES
IDEA FOR 2026
Non-U.S. IG (Investment Grade) bonds are fixed-income securities issued by entities outside the United States that maintain high credit ratings, indicating a low risk of default.
** Core Characteristics
Credit Quality: To be classified as IG, these bonds must be rated BBB- or higher by S&P and Fitch, or Baa3 or higher by Moody's.
Issuer Types: They are issued by foreign governments (sovereign debt), government agencies, and corporations based in developed or emerging markets.
Currency: These bonds may be denominated in the issuer's local currency (e.g., Euro, Yen) or in U.S. dollars.
** Key Benefits and Risks
Diversification: They provide exposure to different interest rate environments and economic cycles outside the U.S. economy.
Currency Risk: For U.S.-based investors, non-USD bonds fluctuate with exchange rates. Many international bond funds "hedge" this risk to mitigate volatility.
Geopolitical Risk: Unlike U.S. Treasuries, these bonds are subject to the specific political and economic stability of their home regions.
** Common Ways to Invest
Investors typically access this market through Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) or mutual funds that track international bond indices:
^^^ iShares Core International Aggregate Bond ETF (
$IAGG): Tracks an index of global non-USD investment-grade bonds, hedged to the U.S. dollar.
^^^ Vanguard Total International Bond ETF (
$BNDX): Provides broad exposure to non-U.S. investment-grade bonds.
^^^ SPDR Bloomberg International Corporate Bond ETF (
$IBND): Focuses specifically on corporate IG debt outside the U.S.
