When it comes to bonds and fixed income ETFs, the longer the duration, the more sensitive the security is to changes in interest rates. Said another way, declining rates really benefit longer duration ...

Investors looking for an asset class that’s holding steady among the recent market swoon and one that features steady income should consider investment-grade corporate bonds. More discerning eyes should view the FlexShares Credit‐Scored US Long Corporate Bond Index Fund (LKOR C+).

When interest rates rise, bond investors tend to get itchy, because the values of their fixed-rate bond holdings are suddenly worth relatively less than the yields on newly-issued bond instruments.Fortunately, certain fixed-income products potentially benefit from rising interest rates by investing in shorter-duration bonds and by employing interest rate swaps, convertible securities, floating rate bonds, and other alternative plays.

Core bond funds usually aren’t volatile, but these are unusual times. Recent turbulence in previously safe sectors of the fixed income space could be opening the door to opportunity with ETFs, such as the FlexShares Core Select Bond Fund (BNDC), which is an alternative to funds tracking the Bloomberg Barclays Aggregate Bond Index.

Northern Trust’s FlexShares® Exchange Traded Funds today announced new underlying indices for two of its bond funds, effective immediately. The Credit-Scored US Corporate Bond Index Fund (SKOR) will use the Northern Trust US Corporate Bond Quality Value Index and the Credit-Scored US Long Corporate Bond Index Fund (LKOR) has switched to the Northern Trust US Long Corporate Bond Quality Value Index. Both indices provide exposure to investment grade bonds with a focus on the quality and value factors. Current fund shareholders are not required to take any action as a result of these changes.

Three ETFs issued by Northern Trust’s FlexShares unit will shift their listings to the CBOE, the issue reveal Monday. That trio includes the FlexShares US Quality Large Cap Index Fund (NasdaqGM: QLC). ...

Inside the top-performing fixed income ETFs of this year so far.