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Is the Bond Market Worried About Inflation?

01/27/2025

By: Lawrence Gillum, Chief Fixed Income Strategist, LPL Financial

The Federal Reserve (Fed) cut interest rates last September and, to date, the central bank has lowered rates by 1%. But over the same period, long-term Treasury yields are higher by 1% (per the 10-year Treasury yield). Does that mean bond investors are worried about inflationary pressures reigniting, particularly with tariffs and a pro-growth policy agenda under the new Trump presidency? Not yet at least. The bond market is expecting inflationary pressures to be higher than the low inflation regime experienced pre-COVID-19, but inflation expectations are not necessarily unanchored, which is good news for the Fed. And for those investors worried that inflationary pressures could reignite, Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) could be a good addition to portfolios to hedge potential inflation shocks.

Read the full commentary here: Weekly Market Commentary 01.27.25

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