Definition
Bond ETFs package many bonds into one tradable fund. Core Treasury funds (like intermediate duration) are often used as ballast — but they still move when yields move.
Duration measures sensitivity to rate changes: higher duration generally means larger price swings when yields shift.
Why it matters
Bonds can stabilize portfolios in some environments and stress them in others (for example, sharp rate rises). Labels like “safe” are too vague — read the mandate.
How Cognitor helps you research
Cognitor’s HELIOS lens focuses on rates and liquidity context around Treasury sleeves; other lenses add sentiment and geopolitical demand for bonds.