Emerging Markets Bonds ETFs

Most of these ETFs invest in debt issued in emerging market countries. Bonds included in these funds may be government, quasi-government, or corporate debt. Emerging markets bonds tend to have lower credit quality than those of developed nations, and thus generally offer much higher yields. Even though bonds in general have a more conservative appeal in nature, investing in emerging market bonds does pose some added risk most conservative investors may want to avoid. A default on debt can have a large negative impact on returns, and emerging markets with poor ratings have a large risk of default. As well, investors should keep in mind currency fluctuations. Generally, bonds are bought in the local currency and a large change in currency value between the purchase and sale of the bond can positively or negatively impact returns. While no investor can accurately predict currency value changes, they should keep in mind the macroeconomic environment and current trends. Because of the risk factors involved, we would steer these ETFs more toward moderate investors who have the appetite to accept the potential for portfolio balance fluctuations associated with these ETFs.