Author Archives: Tipswatch

The Federal Reserve did it right yesterday, when its Open Market Committee stuck to its program and announced another $10-billion-a-month cut in its economy-stimulating asset-purchase program. This decision came despite panic selling in emerging markets, which had relied on the … Continue reading →

I won’t be following the Treasury’s Floating Rate Notes (FRNs) because I don’t see them as a logical investment – at least in 2014 – for the small-scale investor. But yesterday’s auction was historic, introducing a new product to the … Continue reading →

The Treasury announced last week it will hold its first-ever auction of Floating Rate-Notes (FRNs) on Thursday, Jan. 29. This is the first new Treasury product in 17 years, following the launch of Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities in 1997. I’ve already … Continue reading →

The U.S. Treasury just announced that its auction of a new 10-year Treasury Inflation-Protected Security, CUSIP 912828B25, resulted in a coupon rate of 0.625% and a yield to maturity of 0.661%, plus inflation. This was the highest yield for any … Continue reading →

In the world of Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, the 10-year issues hit the ‘sweet spot’ — providing a better yield than shorter-term TIPS and a lifespan that is reasonable for holding to maturity. They are ideal for adding another rung to … Continue reading →