iShares, the exchange-traded funds platform of BlackRock, has opened seven fixed-income funds, which it says accommodate growing demand for targeted exposure using ETFs.

The funds are the first ETFs to offer exposure to specific industry sectors, says iShares, some of which are within the mortgage-backed securities marketplace and others within high credit quality corporate bonds.

“We are launching these new iShares ETFs specifically in response to growing demand for liquid and transparent fixed-income investments that are easy to buy and trade. Investors have shown a clear interest in ETFs as they readjust their fixed income portfolios,” said Matt Tucker, head of iShares fixed income investment strategy.

Global flows into fixed-income ETFs hit record levels in January, with the products attracting $9 billion in net new assets, according to BlackRock Investment Institute’s ETP Landscape report.

The following fixed-income ETFs, which were launched yesterday, offer access to market segments:

- iShares Aaa, a rated corporate bond fund listed on NYSE Arca, provides access to high quality corporate debt issuers, diversified across sectors and maturities, according to the firm. The fund is designed to track the Barclays Capital US Corporate Aaa, which is a capped index;

- The iShares Barclays US Treasury Bond Fund, listed on NYSE Arca, offers exposure to US Treasuries maturities of between one and 30 years and is designed to track the Barclays Capital US Treasury Bond Index;

- The iShares Barclays CMBS Bond Fund, traded on NYSE Arca, provides exposure to investment grade commercial mortgage-backed securities, and;

- The iShares Barclays GNMA Bond Fund, which is traded on the NASDAQ, offers investment in a portfolio of fixed-rate, mortgage-backed securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association.

The remaining three funds, representing targeted sector fixed-income ETFs and all traded on the NYSE Arca, are:

- The iShares Financials Sector Bond Fund offers exposure to investment grade US corporate financial sector bonds. The fund is designed to track the Barclays Capital US Financial Institutions Capped Bond Index;

- The iShares Industrials Sector Bond Fund expresses a view on the industrial sector, designed to track the Barclays Capital US Industrial Bond Index, and;

- The iShares Utilities Sector Bond Fund provides a flexible way to express a view on the US utility corporate bond sector and is designed to track the Barclays Capital US Utility Bond Index.