Vanguard has opened a 10-day subscription period for the launch of its Core-Plus Bond Fund which will begin trading on Oct. 25.
It will be the firm's first actively managed mutual fund to launch this year, according to a spokeswoman. Vanguard launched its first ever active bond ETF in April, the Vanguard Ultra-Short Bond ETF (VUSB).
The actively managed Core-Plus Bond Fund will invest primarily in U.S. Treasury, mortgage-backed and other investment grade securities, but may also invest in riskier fixed income securities such as high-yield corporate bonds and emerging market debt of all credit quality ratings.
That additional flexibility to go beyond investment grade debt distinguishes the Core-Plus Bond Fund from the Vanguard Core Bond Mutual Fund. Like its predecessor, the Core-Plus Fund will be managed by Vanguard's Fixed Income Group, which oversees $2.1 trillion in assets under management in both active and index fund products.
Sara Devereux, the global head of the Fixed Income Group, said the new fund represents the asset manager's "ongoing efforts to improve long-term investor outcomes by offering higher potential return fixed income strategies with enduring investment merit at low cost."
