Displaying items by tag: Treasuries

(New York)

Ten-year Treasuries are currently hovering around the 3% yield mark. This has alarmed some investors, but the market seems to be more bullish following yesterday’s moves. Now, with the move higher in yields stalling, Citigroup is calling for a huge rally in the notes, saying they will return to 2.65% yields. According to the bank’s strategists, “Equity markets are reacting negatively to increases in Treasury yields … A further sell off in rates will be held in check by the feedback loop from equity markets”.

FINSUM: A rally is possible, but Citi is saying this will occur because of a sell-off in stocks sparked by fears over inflation and rates. Not as bullish as it sounds.

(New York)

If anything is becoming clearer in financial markets, especially after yesterday, it is that rates and yields are bound to rise. Thus many might be worried about how to protect their clients from the changing market. Barron’s has some suggestions. The key is to hold a fixed income portfolio for several years, a minimum of six, and to make sure to reinvest proceeds in higher yielding bonds. To achieve the targeted five-year maturity sweet spot, consider Vanguard’s intermediate Treasury fund, while also mixing in some Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS) to provide further protection.

FINSUM: This seems like a good strategy for a long period of gradual rate hikes.

(New York)

The bond market is scaring a lot of investors right now. It is caught between the likelihood for higher rates and fears over a recession. With that in mind, we thought our readers would be interested to hear some thoughts from WisdomTree Financial, who has put out their “highest conviction fixed income trade” over the next two years. While shorter term duration bonds look attractive, especially one- to three-month bills, WisdomTree says investors should move into floating rate treasuries instead. The US floating rate note (FRN) debuted in 2014 and the rate floats based on the 13-week t-bill yield plus a spread. Coupons are paid quarterly.

FINSUM: So shorter duration bonds look attractive because their yields are strong relative to longer maturities and they have less sensitivity to rates. The FRN seems to accomplish the same goal.

(New York)

The bond market is in flux. It is caught between several strong opposing forces. On the one hand, the Fed looks intent to raise rates. On the other, many are worried about a recession. Finally, the huge and increasing crop of retirees need reliable income. With that in mind, here are some potentially good bond buys from Pimco. The fund manager doesn’t think we will have a recession soon, saying “We think the [economic] cycle will continue for the next couple of years, but stocks aren’t cheap and bonds aren’t cheap”. Pimco suggests looking at high quality junk bonds, and the short end of the Treasury yield curve (e.g. 2-years, which are yielding over 2%).

FINSUM: High quality junk is still yielding over 5%, while the short-end of Treasuries also looks appealing. We don’t think there is a reason to flood out of bonds yet.

(New York)

Investors beware of yields. That is the message from one of Wall Street’s most respected names in fixed income. In particular, Jeffrey Gundlach is warning that if ten-year Treasury yields get to over 3% then it will spell doom for stocks. Yields are currently at 2.84%, down from a peak on February 21st of 2.95%. “My idea that the S&P would go down on the year would become an extraordinarily strong conviction as the 10-year starts to make an accelerated move above 3 percent”, says Gundlach.

FINSUM: So the argument here seems to be based on the idea that stocks would become less attractive as investors could earn more from bonds given rising yields. That makes some sense given the increasing size of the retirement population.