DEBT FUND

An investment pool, such as a mutual fund or exchange-traded fund, in which core holdings are fixed income investments. A debt fund may invest in short-term or long-term bonds, securitized products, money market instruments or floating rate debt. The fee ratios on debt funds are lower, on average, than equity funds because the overall management costs are lower.

The main investing objectives of a debt fund will usually be preservation of capital and generation of income. Performance against a benchmark is considered to be a secondary consideration to absolute return when investing in a debt fund.