A Low-Risk Inflation Hedge
The conventional wisdom is that bonds are a terrible investment when inflation accelerates. The theory is that rising inflation causes interest rates to rise...
The Bear Market in Long Bonds
Soaring long bond yields have pushed the PIMCO 25+ Year Zero Coupon U.S. Treasury Index ETF down 26% from its August high. Investors who...
Interest Rates Surge
Long-term interest rates are surging. After falling below 2.40% in October, the ten year T-note yield has risen to 3.26%--an increase of 86 basis...
Municipal Bonds Plummeting
Muni bonds are cratering. The iShares National Municipal Fund is down more than 5% since the beginning of November. Rising long-term interest rates, a...
Stock Market Bulls on Shaky Ground
The chorus of bullish stock-market pundits on CNBC has become deafening in recent months. The justification for buying stocks that I hear most often...
TIPS Signal Higher Inflation
The bond market made history this week: investors paid to lend the government money. The government may want to throw a parade. Investors shouldn’t....
TIPS: Paying to Lose?
What would you pay for inflation protection? Investors buying Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS) are now willing to pay as much as 0.37% annually...
A Steaming Stew of Toxic Bonds
With short-term interest rates pinned near zero and long rates moving downward on the prospect of more Fed money printing, conservative investors and savers...
Don’t Miss This Opportunity
Long-term interest rates are at their lowest level in over four decades. Today, the Treasury can borrow money for 30 years at an interest...
More Trouble in the PIIGS Pen
Despite the best efforts of European policy makers, the CDS of the Euro-area’s PIIGS countries continue to signal severe stress. Ireland is the latest...