Bond Fund
Overview
| Objective | Seeks total return through current income and, secondarily, capital appreciation. |
|---|---|
| Strategy | Invests primarily in a broad range of government and investment-grade corporate bonds and other fixed-income securities. |
| Fund Manager | The Fund is managed by the Fixed Income Team, a group of senior-level investment professionals who average 29 years of experience. |
| Risk/Return | In general, greater returns are associated with greater risks. |
Fund Statistics
| Inception Date | 12/12/94 |
|---|---|
| Ticker Symbol | CFBNX |
| Cusip | 200626208 |
| Minimum Initial Investment | $1,000 |
Commentary
The second quarter of 2026 was defined by a sharp reacceleration in inflation expectations. Driven by persistent energy supply shocks from Middle East conflicts, the May Consumer Price Index (CPI) jumped to 4.2% year-over-year. This price pressure was reinforced by a resilient labor market and robust consumer spending, which are projected to pull annualized Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to a stable 2.2% pace for 2026.
The Federal Reserve (Fed) held the federal funds target rate at 3.50%–3.75% throughout the quarter but delivered a distinct hawkish pivot at its June meeting. The updated "dot plot" revealed that half of the FOMC participants shifted their year-end projections higher by 25 to 50 basis points, forcing the futures market to actively price in a Fed rate hike before year-end.
Reflecting this change in sentiment, the yield curve shifted up broadly with pronounced steepening for maturities shorter than two years and flattening from two years to ten years. The 10-year treasury yield ended the quarter 15 basis points higher at 4.47%, and the 5-year treasury yield ended 28 basis points higher at 4.23%.
The Commerce Bond Fund’s return of 0.82% outperformed the Bloomberg Aggregate Total Return Index return of 0.67% for the second quarter. The Fund’s allocation to corporate bonds contributed to performance despite modest spread widening. The Fund’s allocation to mortgage-backed securities detracted from performance.
Looking ahead, the near-term outlook favors an extended "higher-for-longer" monetary stance with a bias toward raising rates. Consumer resilience should sustain growth into next quarter, but sticky core inflation remains a persistent threat.
Holdings and allocations shown are unaudited, and may not be representative of current or future investments. Holdings and allocations may not include the Fund's entire investment portfolio, which may change at any time. Fund holdings should not be relied on in making investment decisions and should not be construed as research or investment advice regarding particular securities.
Commerce Bond Holdings
Footnotes:
- The Net Asset Value represents the assets of the fund (ex dividend) by the total number of shares.
- Duration is the method determining a bond's price sensitivity, given changes in interest rates.
- The composition of the portfolio is subject to change in the future.
- Please click the links for additional disclosures.
