TriDelta’s Ardrey agrees the horizon of an inflation-linked bond is essential: “Linking its return to the realized inflation charge can profit buyers, however the worth of the bond available in the market additionally depends on the anticipated inflation charge over the lifetime of the bond (referred to as the breakeven.)”
Ardrey notes the present inflation charge in Canada is 4.8%, so an RRB investor would periodically obtain that inflation adjustment within the worth of the bond. “Nonetheless, the market is pricing in common anticipated inflation at 2.12% by the 2026-maturity RRB. If, say, the market believes the economic system is slowing or that the approaching charge hikes will efficiently quell inflation, then the market might value anticipated inflation decrease, leading to value depreciation of the bond, partially or fully offsetting the near-term inflation compensation the investor receives.”
Inflation-linked bond ETFs to contemplate
If you wish to diversify by funds, decrease rate of interest threat and get inflation-linked bond safety, Canadians have extra flexibility by way of U.S.-traded TIPS ETFs, just like the Vanguard Quick-term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF (VTIP), which holds short-term bonds maturing in beneath 5 years. It has a low MER of 0.05% and common period of simply 2.7 years. Describing the ETF as “low threat,” Vanguard says: “Given its shorter period, the fund may be anticipated to have much less actual rate of interest threat, but additionally decrease complete returns relative to a longer-duration TIPS fund.”
VTIP largely will get round the issue of rate of interest threat, but it surely additionally introduces foreign money threat for Canadian buyers. Some Canadian ETF makers are addressing this downside. In 2018, Mackenzie Investments launched its Mackenzie US TIPS Index ETF (CAD-Hedged), buying and selling beneath the memorable ticker image QTIP. Nonetheless, solely 16.7% of the bonds mature within the subsequent two to a few years—10.3% mature in beneath two years, 22.2% in three to 5 years, 18.4% in 5 to seven, 12.3% in seven to 10, 4.3% in 10 to 20, and 15.1% in 20 or extra years (as of Jan. 31, 2022).
Thankfully, two newer TSX-listed bond TIPS ETFs get across the concern of too many long-dated bonds by holding principally short-term U.S. TIPS hedged
Thankfully, three newer TSX-listed bond TIPS ETFs get across the concern of too many long-dated bonds by holding principally short-term U.S. TIPS hedged again to the Canadian greenback:
- The iShares 0-5 Yr TIPS Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged), ticker XSTH, was launched in July 2021.
- The BMO Quick-Time period US TIPS Index ETF, ticker ZTIP.F, was launched in January 2021. Its weighted common period is simply 2.52, in comparison with XRB’s way more risky 15.1.
- The CI U.S. Treasury Inflation-Linked Bond Index ETF (CAD-Hedged), launched in August 2021 beneath the ticker CTIP, is much like ZTIP.F.
In my case, I reinvested the proceeds of the matured Authorities of Canada RRBs into a mixture of the 2026 collection and ZTIP.F. Each are marginally beneath water. A couple of years from now, as soon as charges have come off the underside and stage off, the time could come for longer-term RRB funds like XRB and ZRR.