By Rick Walter
I've been picking up chatter from around the web on the growing concern of the markets continuing to push higher in spite of dismal economic news in the U.S. economy. How is this happening? Trillions of toxic debt still exist on institution's balance sheets, high unemployment, inequitable executive payouts, a ridiculous trade imbalance with our trading partners and on, and on, and on.
I can't figure it out. Well, since there hasn't been any clear roadmaps, except for Gov't spending, showing what's responsible for driving the markets higher, it would be a wise choice to rebalance your investments for uncertainty ahead. With inflation possibly looming on the horizon, I believe that Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS) may be a good investment at this time; the safest of the safe.
What are TIPS? TIPS are a simple and effective way to eliminate significant risks to fixed income investments such as inflation risk while providing a real rate of return guaranteed by the United States Government. For example, "assume $1000- US TIPS was purchased with a 3% coupon; also assume inflation during the first year was 10%. If this were the case, inflation would adjust upward by 10% to $1100. Furthermore, the coupon payment (3%), which is also based on the face value would be $33, (in actuality payments adjust and are paid semi-annually). The end result is that not only are interest payments protected against inflation, but so is the face value of the bond, which is returned to the investor at maturity. Traditional nominal bonds offer neither of these protections." Investopedia.
You can invest in the iShares Barclays TIPS Bond Fund (NYSE: TIP) which is currently trading at $104.32 as of 11/6/2009. The shares are currently trading at a premium, not because inflation is at 4%, but because of low interest rates. You can also invest in any of these no load mutual funds that offer similar characteristics of a pure TIPS fund, but the portfolio mix of these no-load funds includes other types of bonds, meaning they are not true TIPS funds but are very close to the real thing, such as the T. Rowe Price Inflation Protected Bond Fund
(NYSE: PRIPX) currently trading at $11.62.
There is also the TIAA-CREF Inflation Linked Bond Fund (NYSE:TCLIX) currently trading at $10.52; the Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund (NYSE:VIPSX) trading at $12.77, and finally the Schwabb Inflation Protected Fund (NYSE:SWRSX) trading at $10.43 per share. However, the iShares Barclays TIPS Bond Fund (NYSE: TIP) offers the best combination of risk adjusted return with low cost for your investment dollars. Give us a call or email us, if you would like additional details on any of these funds or to purchase any of these funds.
I've been picking up chatter from around the web on the growing concern of the markets continuing to push higher in spite of dismal economic news in the U.S. economy. How is this happening? Trillions of toxic debt still exist on institution's balance sheets, high unemployment, inequitable executive payouts, a ridiculous trade imbalance with our trading partners and on, and on, and on.
I can't figure it out. Well, since there hasn't been any clear roadmaps, except for Gov't spending, showing what's responsible for driving the markets higher, it would be a wise choice to rebalance your investments for uncertainty ahead. With inflation possibly looming on the horizon, I believe that Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS) may be a good investment at this time; the safest of the safe.
What are TIPS? TIPS are a simple and effective way to eliminate significant risks to fixed income investments such as inflation risk while providing a real rate of return guaranteed by the United States Government. For example, "assume $1000- US TIPS was purchased with a 3% coupon; also assume inflation during the first year was 10%. If this were the case, inflation would adjust upward by 10% to $1100. Furthermore, the coupon payment (3%), which is also based on the face value would be $33, (in actuality payments adjust and are paid semi-annually). The end result is that not only are interest payments protected against inflation, but so is the face value of the bond, which is returned to the investor at maturity. Traditional nominal bonds offer neither of these protections." Investopedia.
You can invest in the iShares Barclays TIPS Bond Fund (NYSE: TIP) which is currently trading at $104.32 as of 11/6/2009. The shares are currently trading at a premium, not because inflation is at 4%, but because of low interest rates. You can also invest in any of these no load mutual funds that offer similar characteristics of a pure TIPS fund, but the portfolio mix of these no-load funds includes other types of bonds, meaning they are not true TIPS funds but are very close to the real thing, such as the T. Rowe Price Inflation Protected Bond Fund
(NYSE: PRIPX) currently trading at $11.62.
There is also the TIAA-CREF Inflation Linked Bond Fund (NYSE:TCLIX) currently trading at $10.52; the Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund (NYSE:VIPSX) trading at $12.77, and finally the Schwabb Inflation Protected Fund (NYSE:SWRSX) trading at $10.43 per share. However, the iShares Barclays TIPS Bond Fund (NYSE: TIP) offers the best combination of risk adjusted return with low cost for your investment dollars. Give us a call or email us, if you would like additional details on any of these funds or to purchase any of these funds.
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