ETF掘金图鉴系列报告之二：信用债ETF运作机制拆解

1. Report Industry Investment Rating No relevant content provided. 2. Core Viewpoints of the Report - The report focuses on the product design, operation mechanism, and investment logic of credit bond ETFs. Credit bond ETFs achieve tracking through sampling replication of indexes, with diversified annualized returns and durations, catering to various investment needs. The PCF list, market - maker system, and repurchase system enhance the transparency and tradability of the products. Credit bond ETFs have advantages in risk diversification and liquidity, and offer arbitrage opportunities through price differences between the primary and secondary markets, but costs need careful evaluation [4]. - Credit bond ETFs are becoming increasingly important in asset allocation and liquidity management, with their institutional design and trading mechanisms continuously improving, gradually evolving from emerging products to widely - recognized investment tools [17]. 3. Summary by Related Catalogs 3.1 Credit Bond ETF Product Design and Index Tracking - Credit bond ETFs are passive index funds that mainly track credit bond series indexes compiled by China Securities Index and China National Securities Index. They generally use sampling replication instead of full replication due to the large number of individual bonds and significant liquidity differences in the credit bond market. Sampling replication can control tracking errors, reduce transaction costs, and potentially achieve excess returns through active management [19]. - Different indexes have different selection criteria for component bonds, covering aspects such as issuance scale, credit rating, and remaining maturity. The annualized returns of the indexes tracked by credit bond ETFs have been positive in the past three years, showing a trend of decline, rise, and then decline since 2022. There are significant differences in duration characteristics among indexes, with some suitable for long - term and others for short - term investment [25][29]. 3.2 Transparency and Efficiency: PCF List and Market - Making Mechanism - The PCF list is the core tool in the subscription and redemption process, providing information on a basket of bonds and cash substitution arrangements. It includes information from T - 1 days (minimum subscription/redemption unit net value, cash difference, and fund share net value) and T days (estimated cash part, cash substitution ratio limit, etc.), helping investors understand the value and capital requirements of ETFs [36][37]. - The market - maker system consists of primary market - makers and general market - makers (or primary liquidity providers and general liquidity providers in the Shenzhen Stock Exchange). Market - makers have obligations to quote prices, and exchanges evaluate and incentivize them based on service quality. This system enhances the liquidity of credit bond ETFs in the secondary market [69]. - Credit bond ETFs are gradually included in the general collateralized repurchase system, which improves the efficiency of capital use. There are three types of repurchase methods in the bond market, each with different characteristics in terms of standardization, flexibility, and risk [73]. 3.3 Investment Logic: Allocation Value and Arbitrage Space - As a bottom - position allocation tool, credit bond ETFs are characterized by stability and efficiency. They can diversify credit risks, provide stable coupon income, and have strong liquidity, suitable for long - term holding. They can also be used for leverage financing to increase returns, and are an important part of diversified asset allocation [81][82]. - Credit bond ETFs can achieve arbitrage through primary and secondary market trading, including premium arbitrage and discount arbitrage. However, due to the lack of IOPV disclosure in credit bond ETFs, alternative methods are needed for estimation. Additionally, the uncertainty of coupon - replacement costs and the liquidity of component bonds need to be considered during the arbitrage process [91][94].