Haworth notes that in recent months, the inverted curve has flattened a bit. “Yields are still higher on one-month to two-year Treasuries, but the curve is relatively flat from the five-year level on up.” Haworth says a major question is how the inverted yield curve scenario is resolved. “If shorter-term yields come down to normalize the curve, it will reflect the Fed achieving its inflation-fighting goals. If the curve normalizes because long-term rates go higher, it likely means inflation remains elevated, which results in other challenges for the Fed and investors.”
Keeping an eye on the Fed
The Fed’s rate hikes were designed to slow the economy as a way to reduce inflation, which peaked at 9.1% for the 12 months ending June 2022, but dropped to 3.1% by January 2024. However, March’s 3.5% inflation raises concerns that the inflation fight is far from over.2
In the meantime, markets are keeping a close eye on the timing of the first Fed rate cut. “When the Fed decides to do so, its focus will be less on stimulating the economy than on gradually loosening its monetary policy to return to a more neutral position,” says Haworth. “But we will need to see a number of rate cuts to reach a “neutral” fed funds rate, which the Fed indicates is 2.5%.” This compares to the current fed funds target rate range of 5.25% to 5.50%.
Finding opportunity in the bond market
How should investors approach fixed income markets today? “Money sitting in cash loses purchasing power every day that inflation rates stay above zero,” says Merz. “Investors with a low tolerance for risk can offset the impact of inflation on their purchasing power, and in the current environment, grow their purchasing power, by owning bonds with a range of maturities.”
Despite the appeal of short-term bonds paying higher yields, Merz says investors with a long-term time horizons are well served by building diversified portfolios designed to generate competitive returns over time. “It’s time to take money that was shifted away from appropriate bond allocations during the period of historically low interest rates to gradually move money into longer-term bonds. Longer-term bond yields remain far more compelling today than they have been in years.” Merz says for conservative investors, “It’s possible to generate reasonably attractive returns in a mix of bonds without extending their risk budget.”
Additional opportunities exist depending on investors’ risk tolerance and tax situation. For example, investors in high tax brackets may benefit from extending durations slightly longer and including an allocation to high-yield municipal bonds as a way to supplement their investment grade municipal bond portfolio. Certain non-taxable investors may benefit from diversifying into non-government agency issued residential mortgage-backed securities. They can also incorporate long-maturity U.S. Treasury securities to manage total portfolio duration. And insurance-linked securities may offer a way to capture differentiated cash flow with low correlation to other portfolio factors for certain eligible investors.
Talk to your wealth professional for more information about how to position your fixed income investments as part of a diversified portfolio.