What Does Emerging Markets Bond Index – EMBI Mean?
A benchmark index for measuring the total return performance of international government bonds issued by emerging market countries that are considered sovereign (issued in something other than local currency) and that meet specific liquidity and structural requirements. The most popular indexes are the J.P. Morgan Emerging Bond Index (EMBI) and EMBI+; the latter measures both Brady bonds and other sovereign debt while the EMBI measures only Brady bonds. In order to qualify for index membership, the debt must be more than one year to maturity, have more than $500 million outstanding, and meet stringent trading guidelines to ensure that pricing inefficiencies don’t affect the index.
