Interest Rates Articles
09/25/2025
Options for Your Cash as More Fed Rate Cuts Are Likely
Investor Update by Charles Rotblut
If you are trying to decide what to do with your cash allocations now, start by being clear about the rationale for your current allocation to cash.
November 2024
As Interest Rates Come Down, What Moves Are Savvy Investors Making?
AAII Journal Article by Jenna Brashear
Hear how AAII members plan to proceed now that interest rates are being cut.
October 2024
Interest Rates on Savings Still High as Rate-Cut Cycle Begins
AAII Journal Article by Charles Rotblut
Two charts show the trends in interest rates since 2021.
09/19/2024
September Charts of Interest: Rate Cut Edition
Investor Update by Charles Rotblut
Possible effect of the first cut in interest rates in four years.
09/12/2024
Excess CAPE Yield Low Ahead of Potential Interest Rate Cut
Investor Update by Charles Rotblut
With the probability of an interest rate cut occurring next week, I revisit a stock market valuation measure that adjusts for interest rates: The excess CAPE yield.
September 2024
Bond Strategies for a Shifting Interest Rate Environment
AAII Journal Article by Hildy Richelson, Stan Richelson
Bonds can help you achieve your financial goals by providing reliable cash flow, protecting your principal and creating growth through compounding interest.
02/22/2024
February Charts of Interest: The Impacts of Inflation and Interest Rates
Investor Update by Charles Rotblut
The February charts of interest covers how inflation is impacting consumers.
11/02/2023
Cash Is Popular, but Be Careful When Allocating to It
Investor Update by Charles Rotblut
How to utilize cash in your portfolio.
08/31/2023
Interest Rates Are Higher. Your Taxes Could Be Too.
Investor Update by Charles Rotblut
How interest is taxed and the potential implications for your situation.
08/24/2023
August Charts of Interest: More Costly to Finance Big Purchases
Investor Update by Charles Rotblut
This month’s charts of interest cover cost increases on large purchases.
August 2023
How AAII Members Have Responded to Interest Rate Hikes
AAII Journal Article by Charles Rotblut, Anine Sus, Grace Malone, Lili DeFilippis, Andrew Gomes
A comparison of popular sources for portfolio income now compared to August 2020, before rates began to rise.
December 2022
Shop for Yields, but Be Careful About Where You Bank
AAII Journal Article by Charles Rotblut
The best yields can be found online. However, be sure to verify that the bank or credit union is insured.
December 2022
Savings Account Yields Are the Highest Since 2008
AAII Journal Article by Charles Rotblut
After more than a decade of extremely low interest rates, savers are finally seeing yields on their cash savings rise.
December 2022
Investors Weigh In: Do Rising Interest Rates Call for Increased Allocation to Bonds?
AAII Journal Article by Jenna Brashear
Have rising interest rates got you thinking about increasing your allocation to bonds? Members share their strategies in the AAII Income Investing Community.
August 2022
Should You Buy Bonds When Interest Rates Are Rising?
AAII Journal Article by Hildy Richelson, Stan Richelson
Whether interest rates are rising or falling, a custom ladder of high-quality bonds will produce a consistent cash flow.
August 2022
Online Exclusive: What Is the Yield Curve?
AAII Journal Article by Matthew Bajkowski
The yield curve of U.S. Treasuries is a beneficial tool for investors in that it may identify major potential changes in the economy ahead of their occurrence. It is also free to the public and easy to use.
August 2022
Yield Curve Inverted, but Not Yet Signaling a Recession
AAII Journal Article by Charles Rotblut
The yield curve is a closely watched harbinger of recessions. Inverted yield curves have previously preceded most recessions over the past 50 years.
06/16/2022
The Fed's Rising Expectations for Interest Rates
Investor Update by Charles Rotblut
June 2022
Why I Bonds Have Appeal When Inflation Is Rising
AAII Journal Article by Charles Meyer
With part of its interest rate based on the rate of inflation, Series I savings bonds might be worth a look in the current environment.
June 2022
Online Exclusive: Understanding the Breakeven Inflation Rate
AAII Journal Article by Matthew Bajkowski
The breakeven inflation rate is a helpful guide for determining minimal rates of return required to maintain wealth in real terms.
03/31/2022
The Yield Curve Is Flattening, but Has Yet to Signal a Recession
Investor Update by Charles Rotblut
March 2022
Tracking the Market's Expectations for Interest Rate Hikes
AAII Journal Article by AAII Staff
A measure we follow to gauge expectations for monetary policy is the CME FedWatch Tool.
02/25/2021
A Look at the Bond Market's Expectations for Inflation
Investor Update by Charles Rotblut
September 2020
Many Individual Investors Are Relying on Equities for Portfolio Income
AAII Journal Article by Charles Rotblut, Ryan Reeh, Will Pfeffer
A look at attitudes of AAII members to the historic low interest rates and the Federal Reserve’s intention to keep rates low.
07/02/2020
Bonds Have a Role Even With Current Interest Rates
Investor Update by Charles Rotblut
May 2020
The Risks of Investing in Bonds
AAII Journal Article by Brian Haughey
Living in an unprecedented interest-rate environment, bond investors probably face more interest-rate, credit and liquidity risks than ever before.
March 2020
Top Taxable Bond ETFs
AAII Journal Article by Charles Rotblut
The performance of taxable bond ETFs can be affected by interest rate changes or anticipated changes and shifting credit quality tolerances.
November 2019
How Big of a Concern Is the Inverted Yield Curve and Negative Interest Rates?
AAII Journal Article by Brian Haughey
Inverted yield curves can precede a recession, and negative interest rates remove a traditional income source for risk-averse investors. Find out if you need to take action.
November 2019
Low Interest Rates Are Impacting Individual Investors’ Portfolio Allocations
AAII Journal Article by Charles Rotblut, Matthew Bajkowski, Ryan Reeh
A survey of AAII members brought out a range of opinions on where rates are headed and insights into what they are specifically doing about it.
September 2019
A Fresh Look at Defined-Maturity Bond Funds
AAII Journal Article by Charles Rotblut
Defined-maturity funds seek to strike a middle ground between bonds and bond funds: They mature on a specified date and return capital to shareholders, but they are also professionally managed and benefit from economies of scale.
July 2019
Challenge Your Perspective on Bonds
AAII Journal Article by Hildy Richelson, Stan Richelson
A look at an unconventional bond strategy that focuses on cash flow and is designed to reduce risk, taxes, fees and bad timing.
May 2019
Bond Yields' Role as a Recession Warning Signal
AAII Journal Article by Charles Rotblut, Campbell Harvey
An interview with the professor who developed the yield curve model for forecasting recessions.
03/28/2019
The Yield Curve Inverted (But Don't Fear a Recession)
Investor Update by Charles Rotblut
May 2018
Bond Convexity: What Is It, and Why Should You Care?
AAII Journal Article by Brian Haughey
A bond’s price rises at an increasing rate as its yield falls, but its price falls at a decreasing rate as its yield increases.
07/23/2015
Harder to Value Stocks When Interest Rates Are Uncertain
Investor Update by Charles Rotblut
April 2015
Follow the Fed, but Be Smart About It
AAII Journal Article by Gerald R. Jensen, Robert R. Johnson, Luis Garcia-Feijoo
Small-cap stocks thrive during periods of expansive monetary policy, while returns for large- and small-cap stocks are lower during restrictive periods.
May 2013
Why Buy Bonds If Interest Rates Will Rise?
AAII Journal Article by Hildy Richelson, Stan Richelson
Starting a bond ladder creates income now and produces cash flow that can be used to reinvest when interest rates are rising.
June 2010
Deficits, the Fed, and Rising Interest Rates: Implications for Bond Investors
AAII Journal Article by Joseph H. Davis
Making your bond portfolio more, not less, diverse is the best strategy given the uncertain outlook for interest rates.
May 2009
Don’t Fight the Fed: Interest Rates and Their Impact on the Stock Market
AAII Journal Article by Sam Stovall
What is the one thing an investor should monitor in order to gauge the health of the economy and the direction of the stock market? Interest rates. A look at how they affect stock prices.