REPORT
Evaluating Market Value Weighting in U.S. Corporate Bond Benchmarks
A review of alternatively weighted formulations
As elevated corporate leverage and evolving credit dynamics reshape fixed income markets in 2026, investors are re-examining how benchmark design influences risk, return, and portfolio construction. Traditional market value weighting remains foundational, but questions around concentration, issuer fundamentals, and performance dispersion are becoming increasingly relevant—particularly in lower-rated credit segments.
This report, authored by members of the Bloomberg Portfolio & Index Research team, provides a comprehensive analysis of market value weighting in U.S. corporate bond benchmarks. Drawing on decades of data across investment-grade and high-yield markets, the study evaluates whether market value weighting implicitly rewards leverage and how alternative weighting approaches may alter risk–reward outcomes.
Gain insights on:
- The relationship between issuer size, fundamentals, and credit quality
- Performance implications of issuer size across rating buckets
- The trade-offs between liquidity, concentration, and risk efficiency
Key areas covered:
Get the report to understand when market value weighting remains the most efficient benchmark choice—and where selective alternatives may enhance diversification or risk-adjusted returns, particularly in higher-yielding segments of the market.
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