(Bloomberg News) BlackRock Inc., Fidelity Investments and Charles Schwab Corp., which together manage more than $5 trillion, are all bullish on corporate debt.

The Federal Reserve's pledge to keep interest rates at a record low through late 2014 means investors should take advantage of the extra yield, or spread, offered by asset-backed securities, commercial mortgage-backed debt and high-yield bonds in the U.S., according to BlackRock. It's favoring securities due in five years and less, said Rick Rieder, chief investment officer for fundamental fixed-income portfolios for the company, which has $3.51 trillion in assets.

"One of the ways to take advantage of fixed income is to buy spread assets," Rieder said yesterday in an interview from London. Yields on short- and medium-term Treasuries are "going to be very low for a long time."

Corporate bonds are outperforming U.S. government securities this year as the world's biggest economy shows signs of growth. Treasuries have returned 0.3 percent, versus 2.4 percent for company debt, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch indexes. Government figures yesterday showing a decline in weekly U.S. jobless claims added to speculation the Labor Department's monthly jobs report today will say employers added workers in January.

Treasuries returned 9.8 percent in 2011, versus 6.8 percent for U.S. company bonds, as surging bond yields in Europe drove demand for the relative safety of government debt.

"There may be continued opportunities in safe-haven assets such as sovereign debt" because of Europe, Jamie Stuttard, Fidelity's London-based fixed-income portfolio manager, wrote in a report on the company's website Feb. 1. "Later in the year, I expect to see increasingly attractive opportunities in corporate bonds throughout the world, including some parts of Europe."

Non-financial corporate bonds are attractive compared to German bunds, British gilts and Treasuries, according to Fidelity, the Boston-based fund manager that oversees $1.52 trillion.

Schwab, which is based in San Francisco and has $199 billion under management, said company bonds will help investors "earn your coupon," in a report yesterday on the company's website.

"We continue to see investment-grade corporate bonds as a place to look for yield," according to the report by Rob Williams, the director of income planning, and Kathy A. Jones, a fixed-income strategist. "Reduced corporate leverage, improved profit margins and declining financial market volatility are positives."

Volatile Financial Debt

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