Intermediate-government ETFs usually have at least 90% of their bond holdings in bonds backed by the U.S. government or by government-linked agencies
With durations between 3.5 and six years (or average effective maturities between four and 10 years), performance of the funds, and their sensitivity to interest rate changes, will vary accordingly
Higher yields - and higher volatilities - reflect a preference for bonds at the longer end of the yield curve
Structured credit - such as mortgage- and asset-backed securities - invested by the funds are further differentiators