Learn anything and everything about TIPS -- the inflation indexed bonds. Written for retail investors from the author's real-world experience, Explore TIPS gives you all the details about investing TIPS other books only gloss over. Starting from the very basics, what TIPS are and how they work, the book guides you through * How to invest in TIPS through mutual funds and ETFs* How to buy individual TIPS directly from the U.S. Treasury* How to buy TIPS on the secondary market* TIPS strategiesThe book also includes many tools the author created for aiding the decision making.

Bachelor Thesis from the year 2014 in the subject Business economics - Investment and Finance, grade: 1,0, Texas A&M University (Texas A&M University-Commerce), language: English, abstract: This thesis examines optimized portfolios of three investor types during four different time intervals ranging from 1998 to 2013 to determine if the inclusion of Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) has benefits for institutional investors such as pension plans, university endowments, foundations and sovereign wealth funds. The three investor types used in this study differ in their risk tolerance, with the more risk-averse investor type choosing not to include certain asset classes in his investment portfolio. The efficient frontier algorithm, developed by Prof. Harry Markowitz, is used to determine whether the inclusion of TIPS improves the risk/return profile of the portfolio. Sharpe ratio, developed by Prof. William Sharpe, is used to measure a portfolio’s risk adjusted performance. The study found that the benefits of the inclusion of TIPS in a portfolio vary by time period and investor type. While all investors were able to improve their risk return profile, the more risk-averse investor type benefits to a larger degree from the inclusion of TIPS. Furthermore, a significant increase in the financial efficiency was only observed in the 1998 to 2002 period. Therefore, the researcher concludes that the TIPS market is quite dynamic and investors need to take into account forward-looking information to profit from the inclusion of TIPS in investment portfolios.

We examine the informational content of TIPS yields from the viewpoint of a general 3-factor no-arbitrage term structure model of inflation and interest rates. Our empirical results indicate that TIPS yields contained a "liquidity premium" that was until recently quite large (1%). Key features of this premium are difficult to account for in a rational pricing framework, suggesting that TIPS may not have been priced efficiently in its early years. Besides the liquidity premium, a time-varying inflation risk premium complicates the interpretation of the TIPS breakeven inflation rate (the difference between the nominal and TIPS yields). Nonetheless, high-frequency variation in the TIPS breakeven rates is similar to the variation in inflation expectations implied by the model, lending support to the view that TIPS breakeven inflation rates are a useful proxy for inflation expectations.

Bonds and bond funds are among the safest and most reliable investments you can make to ensure an ample and dependable retirement income — if you do it right! Bond Investing For Dummies helps you do just that, with clear explanations of everything you need to know to build a diversified bond portfolio that will be there when you need it no matter what happens in the stock market. This plain-English guide explains the pros and cons of investing in bonds, how they differ from stocks, and the best (and worst) ways to select and purchase bonds for your needs. You'll get up to speed on all the different types of bonds and discover how to know when it's time to sell and how to get the best prices when you do. Find out what you need to know about: Buying and selling bonds and bond funds Measuring bond risks and returns Taxes on bond interest and tax-free bonds Customizing and optimizing your bond portfolio Common bond-investing mistakes and how to avoid them "Risk-free" U.S. Treasury bonds Tax-free municipal bonds High yield corporate bonds The pros and cons agency bonds Convertible bonds, derivatives, and other exotic offerings Packed with sound advice and dependable formulas for ensuring that your bond investments fulfill your retirement goals, Bond Investing For Dummies is the resource you need to put the gold in your golden years.

A COMPREHENSIVE BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO TREASURY INFLATION-PROTECTED SECURITIES Are you ready to navigate the world of Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) with confidence? Whether you're a seasoned investor seeking to diversify your portfolio or a beginner exploring new investment avenues, Investing in TIPS 101: A Beginner's Guide to Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities is your comprehensive guide to unlocking the potential of TIPS. TIPS offer a unique blend of stability, inflation protection, and potential returns, making them an essential addition to any investment strategy. In this book, we demystify the complexities of TIPS and equip you with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions tailored to your financial goals. What You'll Discover: