Jul 28, 2010
Q&A
Q&A: Are Treasury Bonds Risk-Free? 
Does the deteriorating financial condition of the U.S. government diminish the appeal of U.S. Treasury securities as a risk-free asset? Should investors consider adding government securities from other countries to diversify?

EFF/KRF: TIPS aside, U.S. Treasury bonds and the government bonds of other countries are not now and never have been risk-free since they are subject to inflation risk. Given the current borrowing binges of governments, the temptation down the road to use inflation to kill the value of these nominal promises will be strong. But if the market is efficient, compensation for inflation risk should be built into the prices and expected return of nominal bonds.

If inflation risk is an overriding consideration in your fixed income investments, you should probably consider TIPS. Though TIPS do not have inflation risk, they do have some real return risk. (See our earlier post on TIPS.)

 
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ABOUT FAMA AND FRENCH
Eugene F. Fama
The Robert R. McCormick Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Kenneth R. French
The Roth Family Distinguished Professor of Finance at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College
This information is distributed for educational purposes and should not be considered investment advice or an offer of any security for sale. This article contains the opinions of the author but not necessarily Dimensional Fund Advisors and does not represent a recommendation of any particular security, strategy or investment product. Dimensional Fund Advisors is an investment advisor registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed. Past performance is not indicative of future results and no representation is made that the stated results will be replicated.

Eugene Fama and Ken French are members of the Board of Directors of the general partner of, and provide consulting services to Dimensional Fund Advisors LP.