Analysis for Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF
Description & usage
The Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF focuses on short-duration investment-grade corporate bonds, reducing duration risk versus longer credit strategies. It is used for defensive income allocations. Key drivers are front-end rates, credit spreads, and IG default-risk perception.
Basic info
- Symbol
- VCSH
- Type
- ETF
- Region
- US
- Sector
- Bonds
- Available history
- 11.2 years
- Last trading day
- 04/02/2026
- TER
- –
Basic info
- Symbol
- VCSH
- Type
- ETF
- Region
- US
- Sector
- Bonds
- Available history
- 11.2 years
- Last trading day
- 04/02/2026
- TER
- –
Market context
- DXY
- 120.89
- US 10Y Real
- 1.99%
- Fed Balance
- $6.68T
- CPI YoY
- 2.4%
- Fed Rate
- 3.75%
- US 10Y
- 4.35%
- VIX
- 24.54
- HY OAS
- 3.17%
- Brent
- $121.88
- Core CPI
- 2.5%
- US 2Y
- 3.84%
- ISM PMI
- –
Score overview
The overall score combines Performance, Stability and Trend into one comparable value.
Market context
- DXY
- 120.89
- US 10Y Real
- 1.99%
- Fed Balance
- $6.68T
- CPI YoY
- 2.4%
- Fed Rate
- 3.75%
- US 10Y
- 4.35%
- VIX
- 24.54
- HY OAS
- 3.17%
- Brent
- $121.88
- Core CPI
- 2.5%
- US 2Y
- 3.84%
- ISM PMI
- –
Analysis summary
Technical asset picture
Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCSH) currently has a total score of 44 points, placing it in the neutral range. The score is made up of Performance (26), Stability (76) and Trend (40). The profile is clearly uneven: Stability stands out while Performance lags.
Performance scores 26 points (weak). Least weak metric: 1Y return at 0.5 %. Main drag: 10Y return at -0.7 %. This points to a sharper upswing more recently.
Stability scores 76 points (strong). Key strength: volatility (365d, annualized) at 2.6 %. Main drag: Sharpe ratio (90d) at -0.55. Higher Stability points are better and typically reflect calmer swings and smaller drawdowns-but prices can still fall.
Trend scores 40 points (neutral). Best-ranked metric: Price is about 0.7 % below SMA50. Weaker signal: death cross is active.
Overall, the picture is mixed: Stability does the heavy lifting while Performance holds the score back. On a metric level, volatility (365d, annualized) stands out, while death cross is the main weak spot.
Current market backdrop
The backdrop currently looks mixed and rather restrictive.
A strong US dollar currently paints a mixed risk picture.
High US real yields and elevated long yields lean toward a restrictive rate backdrop.
What that typically means here
For bonds and bond-heavy ETFs, higher yields and high real rates typically lean headwind for prices.
Note: ISM PMI was not used actively in the effect logic.
Historical evaluation and qualitative market context only, not investment advice.
Price chart
Use the chart to read recent price behavior before drilling into metrics.
Scores and metrics
Explore the overall score, the three pillar scores, and the metrics behind them.