What Makes the U.S. Bond Market Appealing Now?

Fixed income investors are likely focused on two big early November events: the presidential election and the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy decision. On this episode, host Mike Townsend is joined by Collin Martin, a fixed income strategist at the Schwab Center for Financial Research, for a timely conversation on how bond markets typically react to elections, how investors who are anxious about the election can use bond strategies to lock in good rates and help limit volatility in their portfolios, the outlook for another rate cut by the Fed, and why there may be opportunities now for investors interested in longer-duration bonds. Collin offers his perspective on corporate bonds, high-yield bonds, and Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, or TIPS.
Mike shares what he will be watching for on election night, as well as an update on the IRS inflation adjustments to key provisions of the tax code, including individual income tax brackets and the estate tax. Mike also references this recent IRS publication on inflation adjustments to key tax provisions (www.irs.gov/ne...) .
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Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS) are inflation-linked securities issued by the U.S. Government whose principal value is adjusted periodically in accordance with the rise and fall in the inflation rate. Thus, the dividend amount payable is also impacted by variations in the inflation rate as it is based upon the principal value of the bond.
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