Inflation Surge Whips Up Market Froth

Link:https://www.wsj.com/articles/inflation-surge-whips-up-market-froth-11636817049

Excerpt:

Last week, real yields, which take into account the corrosive effects of inflation, hit some of their lowest levels on record. One measure of real yields, 10-year Treasury inflation-protected securities, fell to minus 1.2%, according to Tradeweb. That is the lowest on record, according to data going back to February 2003.

In essence, with real yields negative, the purchasing power of money invested will decline over the lifetime of those bonds.

Real yields have fallen because of colliding factors. These include the highest inflation rate in over three decades combined with nominal bond yields that have risen only modestly as central banks hold back from raising rates.

The prospect of negative returns on super safe inflation-protected bonds has pushed investors to buy riskier assets.

Author(s): Anna Hirtenstein

Publication Date: 14 Nov 2021

Publication Site: Wall Street Journal