US bonds have never been risk-free, and never will be

(Image: Getty)

Sat, 26 Apr 2025

By Allison SchragerPractically every financial meltdown or crisis can be traced back to a misunderstanding of which assets are “risk-free.” Investors think they have a risk-free asset - it could be a mortgage-backed security, shares in a Bernie Madoff fund, Greek debt – and are surprised when it turns out not to be.For the last several years, the term has been used a lot to describe one of the most widely traded securities in the world: US Treasuries. The markets for 10- and 30-year government bonds experienced more...

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