Looking beyond mainstream bonds Looking beyond mainstream bonds http://www.federatedhermes.com/us/static/images/fhi/fed-hermes-logo-amp.png http://www.federatedhermes.com/us/daf\images\insights\article\binoculars-coin-operated-small.jpg February 26 2026 February 25 2026

Looking beyond mainstream bonds

Out-of-index sectors, such as trade finance, offer alternative investment opportunities. 

Published February 25 2026
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Video Transcript
00:10
Q: What is your economic outlook, and how has that informed your view of credit spreads? A: The economy is actually doing well. in fact, I expect this year to be even better than last year. We believe GDP growth may be around 3% this year. There are a few reasons for that: less impact from tariffs, the boost from tax bill, continued AI spending, deregulation, and so on. So, I am quite positive about the economy. But credit spreads are pretty tight already. So, the upside potential is limited in many sectors.
00:47
Q: Why is it important to look for opportunities beyond the major bond indices? A: We always try to look for attractive opportunities. Right now, we think some out-of-index sectors offer higher spreads and good diversification benefits, which can help improve our risk/return profile. One sector we really like is trade finance. It is less correlated with other sectors, and has higher spreads. Additionally, trade finance is more transaction-based, so it is less sensitive to the macro economy.
Tags Fixed Income . Markets/Economy .
DISCLOSURES

Views are as of the date above and are subject to change based on market conditions and other factors. These views should not be construed as a recommendation for any specific security or sector.

This video was recorded on February 19, 2026.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is a broad measure of the economy that measures the retail value of goods and services produced in a country.

The spread is the difference between the yield of a security versus the yield of a United States Treasury security with a comparable average life.

Bond prices are sensitive to changes in interest rates, and a rise in interest rates can cause a decline in their prices.

Diversification does not assure a profit nor protect against loss.

Investments in trade finance-related instruments may entail credit, liquidity, currency, and market risks in addition to other risks, such as the risk of investing in foreign securities and emerging market securities.

The value of investments and income from them may go down as well as up, and you may not get back the original amount invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. 

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