Thanks for a thorough and comprehensive response. You answered well my questions. I also got myself educated from the two links you provided, and I even passed them onto other folks on the Yahoo blogs.
Teutonic
On Jan 15 11:00 AM Chris B wrote:
> Teutonic Knight, > > Yields for short-term treasuries are close enough to zero that it > is accurate to say they are zero, much like my checking account can > be said to have a zero interest rate despite paying 0.01% (the same > yield as 3 month treasuries were going for last month). The interest > can be said to be immaterial at those levels. > > Longer term bonds such as the 10 year note offer higher rates as > usual, 2.18% as of today: finance.yahoo.com/bond... . Could > 10-year rates go lower? Technically yes, by 2.18%. In reality, > anyone buying a 10-year bond at these expensive levels risks losing > value if yields rise, if inflation returns, if the currency devalues, > and from opportunity cost. Could 10-year rates go higher? Yes. > To double-digits. > > On your 2nd question, if the economy tanked and inflation increased > (a stagflation scenario), the principal would increase by the official > rate of inflation - the CPI - and the biannual interest payments, > made at a fixed rate, would be based on your rising principal, resulting > in those interest payments increasing. www.treasurydirect.gov...
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Chris B,
Jan 15 18:58 pm
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All Comments by Teutonic Knight »Treasury TIPS: Back in Style [View article]
Thanks for a thorough and comprehensive response. You answered well my questions. I also got myself educated from the two links you provided, and I even passed them onto other folks on the Yahoo blogs.
Teutonic
On Jan 15 11:00 AM Chris B wrote:
> Teutonic Knight,
>
> Yields for short-term treasuries are close enough to zero that it
> is accurate to say they are zero, much like my checking account can
> be said to have a zero interest rate despite paying 0.01% (the same
> yield as 3 month treasuries were going for last month). The interest
> can be said to be immaterial at those levels.
>
> Longer term bonds such as the 10 year note offer higher rates as
> usual, 2.18% as of today: finance.yahoo.com/bond... . Could
> 10-year rates go lower? Technically yes, by 2.18%. In reality,
> anyone buying a 10-year bond at these expensive levels risks losing
> value if yields rise, if inflation returns, if the currency devalues,
> and from opportunity cost. Could 10-year rates go higher? Yes.
> To double-digits.
>
> On your 2nd question, if the economy tanked and inflation increased
> (a stagflation scenario), the principal would increase by the official
> rate of inflation - the CPI - and the biannual interest payments,
> made at a fixed rate, would be based on your rising principal, resulting
> in those interest payments increasing. www.treasurydirect.gov...
>
>