Investors looking for wide-ranging exposure to investment-grade corporate bonds of varying maturities on a cost-effective basis will find a lot to like with the Vanguard Total Corporate Bond ETF (NasdaqGM: ...

Companies receiving central bank aid are more likely to make quick comebacks Continue reading...

Investors are dumping everything for cash, even once safer plays like short-term bonds and related exchange traded funds are no longer as safe.

Companies could be facing a debt reckoning. Investors are certainly acting like judgment is at hand.

Moore Capital Management’s top 1st-quarter buys Continue reading...

Your bills generally come monthly. Your mortgage, your car payment, your utility bills ... even the gym membership and Netflix subscription come due once per month.Yet that's not how most investments typically work. Bonds tend to pay their coupon payments semiannually, and stocks tend to pay their dividends quarterly. You can get paid much more frequently, however. A number of monthly dividend stocks and funds can help you better align your investment income with your living expenses.Investors received a stark reminder of how important stable income is during the market turmoil of February and March. Not only did the stock market take a nosedive, but many seemingly reliable dividend payers were forced to cut or suspend their payouts.Furthermore, the coronavirus lockdowns have disrupted the livelihoods of millions of Americans, leaving many to dip into already depleted portfolios to pay their bills."Income security is the single biggest concern I'm hearing from my clients," says Sonia Joao, a wealth manager based in Houston, Texas. "Many of my clients are at that critical age when they become targeted for early retirement, and that's now more likely than ever with companies being forced to reduce headcount. Replacing that lost income is our top priority."Today, we're going to take a look at 11 of the best monthly dividend stocks and funds that have so far managed the coronavirus with their payouts intact. Not all of these will be exceptionally high yielders. In this environment, it's better to take a lower but reliable yield than to reach for an unrealistically high yield, only to watch it evaporate before the next payment. SEE ALSO: 32 Ways to Earn Up to 9% on Your Money Now

The central bank will be buying broad, investment-grade corporate bond ETFs to support markets and the economy.

Last year was another banner year for Vanguard, the second-largest U.S. issuer of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). As of Dec. 27, Vanguard ETFs listed in the U.S. had $841.70 billion in assets under management, trailing only BlackRock's iShares brand.When 2018 ended four Vanguard ETFs ranked among the year's top ten ETFs in terms of new assets added. Only iShares had more funds on that list, with five. One of the reasons Vanguard ETFs are so popular with advisors and investors is the issuer's reputation for having some of the lowest fees in the fund industry.While there are some examples of ETFs with lower expense ratios than competing Vanguard ETFs, Vanguard has a well-deserved reputation for being one of the low-cost leaders in the index fund and ETF industry.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips * 7 Dark Horse Stocks Winning the Race in 2019 Here are some of the best Vanguard ETFs to consider in 2019: Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF (VGK)Expense ratio: 0.09% per year, or $9 on a $10, 000 investment.European stocks suffered through a dismal 2018, as highlighted by the Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF (NYSEARCA:VGK) losing almost 18% for the year. VGK finished 2018 residing nearly 13% below its 200-day moving average, a technical indicator the fund has not closed above since the second quarter.VGK follows the FTSE Developed Europe All Cap Index and its geographic selection universe includes Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, according to Vanguard.In order for this Vanguard ETF to shine in 2019, European geopolitical volatility needs to ease and catalysts beyond valuation and "it cannot get much worse for European stocks" need to emerge. Vanguard Value ETF (VTV)Expense ratio: 0.04% per yearLast year was another challenging one for value stocks, but the fourth-quarter slide in growth and momentum has some market observers speculating that investors will favor more defensive value fare in 2019. The Vanguard Value ETF (NYSEARCA:VTV), one of the cheapest value funds on the market, lost nearly 8% last year and trailed the S&P 500.Like many value funds, this Vanguard ETF was hamstrung in 2018 by a large combined weight to the financial services and energy sectors. Those sectors, two of the worst-performing groups in the S&P 500 last year, combine for nearly 33% of VTV's weight. * 7 Dark Horse Stocks Winning the Race in 2019 As is the case with European stocks, much of the case for value stocks in 2019 revolves around investors saying enough is enough with the declines and earnestly rotating away from growth into value. Investors added $2.54 billion to VTV in the fourth quarter, indicating some are willing to bet on a value rebound in 2019. Vanguard High Dividend ETF (VYM)Expense ratio: 0.06% per yearThe combination of rising interest rates and weakness in the broader market hampered high dividend strategies, such as the Vanguard High Dividend ETF (NYSEARCA:VYM), in 2018. This Vanguard ETF finished 2018 with a loss of nearly 9%. If investors flock to defensive sectors in 2019, something that started happening late last year, VYM could be one of the best Vanguard ETFs in the new year."A Reuters analysis of 2019 outlooks from 10 major financial institutions found eight, including Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and Barclays, with 'overweight' ratings on at least one defensive sector for 2019," reports Reuters. "That marks a big change from last year, when just two of those banks favored any defensive sectors."VYM, which yields 3%, allocates about 34% of its combined weight to the defensive consumer staples, healthcare and utilities sectors. Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO)Expense ratio: 0.12% per yearSomething investors heard plenty of in 2018: Emerging markets stocks got punished. From China to Chile and many, many more, emerging markets stocks were a dismal asset class last year as reflected by an annual decline of 17% for the Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (NYSEARCA:VWO).VWO, one of the largest emerging markets ETFs by assets, shares some similarities with the aforementioned VGK. Like European stocks, emerging markets equities look like value plays and there is a chorus of investors willing to say things will not get much worse for developing economies.If the Federal Reserve slows its pace of rate hikes in 2019 and the dollar weakens, there could be upside to be had with emerging markets equities. * 7 Dark Horse Stocks Winning the Race in 2019 "There are at least some reasons to be hopeful for emerging Asian assets: oil prices have dropped about 40% from their October peak, which is a boon for countries that import the commodity. Central banks remain vigilant, while a growing number of analysts, including those at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and UBS Group AG, say the dollar is close to its peak," according to Bloomberg. Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCSH)Expense ratio: 0.07% per yearOne way for investors to Fed-proof fixed income portfolios is to lower duration risk. The Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF (NASDAQ:VCSH) is one of the best Vanguard ETFs on the short-duration side of the ledger. Plus, this Vanguard fund does not skimp on yield.VCSH has a yield of 2.77%, which is solid when considering the fund's average duration is just 2.7 years. This Vanguard ETF holds over 2,200 investment-grade corporate bonds.Over 59% of VCSH's holdings are rated AA or A while 45% are rated BBB. This Vanguard ETF outperformed the longer duration Markit iBoxx USD Liquid Investment Grade Index by about 600 basis points last year. Vanguard Mid-Cap Value ETF (VOE)Expense ratio: 0.07% per yearAs is the case with the aforementioned VTV, investors embracing the value factor in 2019 would benefit the Vanguard Mid-Cap Value ETF (NYSEARCA:VOE). Mid-cap stockshad a rough 2018 and value stocks were among the more egregious offenders in that category. This Vanguard ETF lagged the S&P MidCap 400 Index by about 240 basis points last year.VOE holds 203 stocks with a median market value of $14.2 billion, which is just outside of mid-cap territory. Like large-cap value strategies, this Vanguard ETF has a large financial services weight (23.9%). Consumer sentiment is important to the fortunes of this Vanguard ETF as the two consumer sectors combine for 27.50% of VOE's roster. * 7 Dark Horse Stocks Winning the Race in 2019 Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond ETF (VTEB)Expense ratio: 0.09% per yearAfter establishing a rich tradition in the municipal bond index fund and mutual fund arenas, Vanguard got into muni ETFs with the Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond ETF (NASDAQ:VTEB). This Vanguard ETF follows the S&P National AMT-Free Municipal Bond Index, one of the most widely followed gauges of municipal bonds.In terms of sheer number of holdings, the $4.7 billion VTEB is one of the largest municipal bond ETFs as it is home to nearly 4,200 bonds. This Vanguard ETF's holdings have an average maturity of 13.8 years an average duration of 5.6 years.As is to be expected with investment-grade municipal bond funds, credit risk is not an issue with this Vanguard ETF as over 90% of its holdings are rated AAA, AA or A.As of this writing, Todd Shriber owns shares of VWO. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * 10 Top Stock Picks From the Street's Best Analysts * 7 Tech Stocks Without China Exposure * 5 Strong-Buy Stocks That Crushed 2018 Compare Brokers The post 7 Top-Rated Vanguard ETFs to Buy in 2019 appeared first on InvestorPlace.

Yahoo Finance’s Brian Cheung joins Seana Smith to discuss the Fed’s decision to begin buying corporate-bond ETFs, along with President Trump's tweet pushing the Fed to adopt negative interest rates.

Wall Street is sifting through which corporate bonds might fit the Federal Reserve’s criteria for purchase under a series of new rescue programs announced Monday, which aim to alleviate stress triggered by the coronavirus.

All bets are off for 2020. We could talk about any number of potential growth catalysts or looming hurdles for the new year, but overshadowing them all is the chaos machine of the presidential election. The best ETFs to buy for 2020, as a result, are designed to take advantage of feasible political outcomes, calmly weather the storm or barrel forward regardless of what the new year brings.That's no prophecy of utter doom and gloom, mind you. Indeed, there are plenty of pockets of optimism to be found.2019's slowdown in worldwide economic growth might have kept stocks from roaring even louder than they did, but Morgan Stanley believes global GDP growth will rebound in 2020 - a potential driver for the market. FactSet, meanwhile, reports that the new year's estimated earnings growth rate for the S&P; 500 Index should come in at 9.6%, which is above the 10-year average. (Analysts are even more confident, looking for profit growth "just over 10%," according to Kiplinger's 2020 investing outlook.)That said, even the most hopeful of S&P; 500 targets for 2020 call for roughly 10%-11% returns - most are closer to the 5%-7% range, and a few are calling for flat performance or worse. So while you do want to anchor your portfolio with a few broad, go-anywhere funds, many of the best ETFs for the year ahead will have to attack specific slices of the market.Here are the 20 best ETFs to buy for 2020. This is an intentionally wide selection of ETFs that meet a number of different objectives. We don't suggest investors go out and stash each and every one of these funds in their portfolio; instead, read on and discover which well-built funds best match what you're trying to accomplish, from buy-and-hold income plays to high-risk, high-reward shots. SEE ALSO: The 30 Best Mutual Funds in 401(k) Retirement Plans

Market volatility could rise this year as US-Iran conflict threatens to escalate and election looms Continue reading...

As some grow wary of risks in the equity market, investors are shifting their attention to corporate bonds and related exchange traded funds. According to Lipper data, investors yanked $46.2 billion from ...

While the rest of the world is seeing yields dip into negative territory, U.S. corporate bond exchange traded funds could find support from foreign investors seeking more attractive yields in the U.S. ...

Investors poured money into U.S. equities and investment-grade bond ETFs in January.

ProcureAM President Bob Tull joins Yahoo Finance's Seana Smith to discuss the Fed’s decision to begin buying corporate-bond ETFs.