Masters in Business · Thursday, July 2, 2026
Barry Ritson explains that while bond ladders were historically complex and required significant capital, inexpensive ETFs now make them accessible. Stephen Lately, from Blackrock, elaborates on how these ETFs, like Blackrock's iBonds, provide diversification and liquidity, simplifying the process for investors aiming for yield in uncertain rate environments.
“Investors who are looking for yield, especially in an uncertain rate environment, used to need millions of dollars to build out a bond ladder in a separately managed account. It wasn't easy. There were issues of credit quality, duration and risk. It made it kind of complex to do. But today you can create a simple ladder using inexpensive ETFs.”
“So today you can create a simple ladder using inexpensive ETFs. I'm Barry Ridults on today's edition of At the Money. We're going to explain how and when to build your own bond ladder to help us unpack all of this and what it means for your portfolio. Let's bring in Stephen Lately. He's Managing director at Blackrock and Global co head of I Shares Fixed Income ETFs.”
“So ets, you know, trade for bid esque spreads of pennies on exchange. Individual bonds can be multiples of that, right, So that's that's sort of the final thing.”