EMB — iShares J.P. Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF

Overview

The iShares J.P. Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF (EMB) operates within the International Bonds category, which currently contains three ETFs tracked by ETFValuer. Issued by iShares, the fund manages $14.6 billion in assets and trades at a price of $95.79. It holds an overall rank of #71 out of 120 tracked ETFs across all categories and has received an ETFValuer grade of C with a score of 59.2 out of 100. Investors face an expense ratio of 0.39% while the fund offers a dividend yield of 5.02%. The substantial asset under management suggests significant investor adoption relative to the small size of its specific category. This combination of high yield and moderate cost positions the fund as a notable option within its narrow peer group.

Over the last day, the fund declined by 0.16%, following a 0.26% drop over the previous week. A recovery began in the monthly timeframe with a 0.83% gain, which accelerated to a 2.78% return over three months. The six-month return moderated to 1.50%, while year-to-date performance stands at 1.66%. The one-year return reached 9.08%, and the three-year total return is 27.57%. This pattern indicates a divergence where short-term fluctuations were negative before shifting to positive momentum that has persisted over longer horizons.

The fund carries a Very Low volatility label despite a beta of 1.08, suggesting its price movements relative to the broader market are slightly amplified but generally stable in magnitude. A Sharpe ratio of 0.72 indicates the fund has generated a moderate amount of excess return per unit of risk taken. The maximum drawdown of -7.95% represents the largest peak-to-trough decline recorded during the measurement period. This combination of figures implies that while the fund is sensitive to market shifts due to its beta, it has historically experienced limited depth in downturns. The low volatility classification aligns with the manageable drawdown size, even as the beta suggests it moves in tandem with market direction.

AI-generated summary based on the data on this page.

EMB Top Holdings

Holdings as of 2026-04-30 per the fund's most recent SEC N-PORT-P filing.

Market Backdrop

10-Year Treasury Yield: 4.55% (as of 2026-07-07) — The yield on 10-year US Treasury bonds — the standard "risk-free rate" benchmark used to contextualize this fund’s Sharpe ratio and returns.

CBOE Volatility Index (VIX): 16.13 (as of 2026-07-07) — A real-time gauge of expected S&P 500 volatility over the next 30 days — useful context for this fund’s own volatility label.

Federal Funds Rate: 3.63% (as of 2026-06-01) — The Federal Reserve’s target policy rate, which anchors short-term borrowing costs across the economy.

High-Yield Credit Spread: 2.67% (as of 2026-07-07) — The extra yield investors demand to hold high-yield corporate bonds over Treasuries — a real-time gauge of credit risk appetite relevant to this fund’s holdings.

Trade-Weighted US Dollar Index: 120.69 (as of 2026-07-02) — Measures the US dollar’s strength against major trading-partner currencies — dollar moves directly affect the US-dollar value of this fund’s international holdings.

EMB Performance History

How EMB Compares to Other International Bonds ETFs