EPA:EDF.PA 29 May 2026

June 18, 2026, 4:22 PM EDT. Traders have accelerated bearish bets against the high-yield bond sector, focusing heavily on the iShares iBoxx High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (HYG). On Thursday, put option volume on HYG surged fivefold over call volume, with a notable trade seeing $1.3 million spent on 20,000 January 27 75-strike puts. Market watchers attribute this shift partly to uncertainty after the Federal Reserve's new leadership and a prolonged drop in crude oil prices, which impact the energy sector that represents over 11% of HYG. The dominant position was the August 21, 77-strike put, requiring HYG to fall 4% to break even. The move signals increased caution among bond traders amid a changing Federal Reserve regime and volatile energy markets.