iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF

SGOV

Market cap $85.9B

The traditional 60/40 portfolio is undergoing a structural renovation, but the fixed income sleeve is proving far more difficult to stabilize than in years past.

While the Trump tariff policies have given an unprecedented boost to US business and manufacturing in particular, there are both geopolitical and domestic question marks that can rock the markets in the near future, which retirees may find unpalatable.

Cinthia Murphy, investment strategist at VettaFi, joined Nate Geraci on this week's ETF Prime to discuss record ETF flows in the first quarter despite challenging market conditions. The industry exceeded $460 billion in total flows, a 50% year-over-year increase from Q1 2025, according to Murphy.

The S&P 500 is down 5% from its high, but the index could fall further if the Iran conflict keeps oil prices elevated for a prolonged period. The iShares 0-3 Month Treasury ETF owns T-bills issued by the U.S. government; it currently pays 3.55% annually split into monthly distributions.

Nobody walking into 2026 would have predicted that rate hikes would be on the table before the second quarter even began.

With the VIX near 31 and equity markets delivering one of their most turbulent stretches of the past year, a growing number of investors are asking a straightforward question: where do you park cash when you want safety, liquidity, and a yield that actually keeps pace with short-term rates?

A look at ETF flows for the month of March suggests caution is back in vogue. Fixed income ETFs showed serious muscle in the asset gathering race last month, capturing nearly 45% of net creations.

The global market landscape in early March 2026 is dominated by a sharp escalation in geopolitical risk. Conflict in Iran directly threatens the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most critical oil chokepoint, according to a Morgan Stanley analysis.

As the hunt for yield and stability remains a cornerstone of portfolios in 2026, a group of iShares short-term bond ETFs have made a strategic move to the Big Board today.  Four prominent short-term fixed-income vehicles have officially transitioned their primary listing to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

The exit velocity from 2025 is continuing into 2026. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have already gathered over $250 billion in inflows in the first six weeks of the new year, proving that demand for the investment vehicle remains robust despite a volatile start.