Can fixed-income investments lose money?
Fixed income securities also carry inflation risk, liquidity risk, call risk, and credit and default risks for both issuers and counterparties. Any fixed income security sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to loss.
Fixed income securities are subject to increased loss of principal during periods of rising interest rates. Fixed income investments are subject to various other risks including changes in credit quality, market valuations, liquidity, prepayments, early redemption, corporate events, tax ramifications and other factors.
What causes bond prices to fall? Bond prices move in inverse fashion to interest rates, reflecting an important bond investing consideration known as interest rate risk. If bond yields decline, the value of bonds already on the market move higher. If bond yields rise, existing bonds lose value.
Summary. Fixed income risks occur due to the unpredictability of the market. Risks can impact the market value and cash flows from the security. The major risks include interest rate, reinvestment, call/prepayment, credit, inflation, liquidity, exchange rate, volatility, political, event, and sector risks.
Even good investments can sometimes lose money
This is because factors beyond their control can impact the performance of even the best investment. For example, take a look at the chart below showing the performance of the S&P 500, which is a financial index of 500 of the largest U.S. companies.
During a recession, stock values often decline. In theory, that's bad news for an existing portfolio, yet leaving investments alone means not locking in recession-related losses by selling. What's more, lower stock values offer a solid opportunity to invest on the cheap (relatively speaking).
Fixed income investments also help to reduce the overall risk of your investment portfolio. Depending on the issuer, they can provide a guaranteed fixed return when held to maturity and are a source of stable cash flow.
Although it seems that fixed income investments are risk-free and 100% safe, nothing is further from the truth. Fixed income investments run credit risk, market risk, movement penalties, hidden fees, transparency in results, among many others.
Fixed-income investments don't have the highest potential for return, but their lower risk is an advantage. For money you'll need within a few years, the best fixed-income investments can help you build your cash reserves while keeping it relatively safe.
After bonds are initially issued, their worth will fluctuate like a stock's would. If you're holding the bond to maturity, the fluctuations won't matter—your interest payments and face value won't change.
Does fixed income do well in recession?
Interest rates tend to begin to decline three months ahead of recessions and reach a cycle low about five months into recessions. During economic downturns, fixed income has been shown to provide diversification benefits and reduce the volatility of portfolios that include risk assets such as equities.
Reducing your cost of living can be one of the most strategic money moves when you're on a fixed income. This might look like staying in your area but moving to a home with a lower cost to maintain, like trading in the big house with high utility bills or property taxes for a more affordable, lower-maintenance home.
Liquidity risk is the risk that you might not be able to buy or sell investments quickly for a price that is close to the true underlying value of the asset. When a bond is said to be liquid, there's generally an active market of investors buying and selling that type of bond.
You might need some help from your broker or financial advisor if this is the case; they'll be able to help you assess what went wrong and whether there's anything you could have done differently in order to avoid losing money on your investment.
It's a shocking statistic — approximately 90% of retail investors lose money in the stock market over the long run. With the rise of commission-free trading apps like Robinhood, more people than ever are trying their hand at stock picking.
About 90% of investors lose money trading stocks. That's 9 out of every 10 people — both newbies and seasoned professionals — losing their hard earned dollars by trying to outsmart an unpredictable and extremely volatile machine.
Bottom line. Moving your portfolio from stocks to cash is an understandable instinct when savings rates are high and there are concerns about a possible recession. But it's important to remember that stock market investments are part of your long-term plan, and selling could have tax implications.
Treasury Bonds
Investors often gravitate toward Treasurys as a safe haven during recessions, as these are considered risk-free instruments.
For investors, “cash is king during a recession” sums up the advantages of keeping liquid assets on hand when the economy turns south. From weathering rough markets to going all-in on discounted investments, investors can leverage cash to improve their financial positions.
Investments that can be appropriate include bank CDs or short-term bond funds. If your investing timeline is longer, and you're willing to take more risk in order to potentially earn higher yields, you might consider longer-term Treasury bonds or investment-grade corporate or municipal bonds.
Why is fixed income better than equity?
Fixed-income securities and equities are popular investments with millions of investors in the United States. Fixed-income investments pay regular interest and tend to have less risk, making them favorable to risk-averse investors. Equities, on the other hand, can have high returns, but also tend to be riskier.
“That's why fixed income is a great way to allocate capital, because it provides both income and return with stability,” Kyle says. Additionally, investing in fixed income can help balance out market volatility.
- High-yield savings accounts.
- Money market funds.
- Short-term certificates of deposit.
- Series I savings bonds.
- Treasury bills, notes, bonds and TIPS.
- Corporate bonds.
- Dividend-paying stocks.
- Preferred stocks.
Interest rate changes are the primary culprit when bond exchange-traded funds (ETFs) lose value. As interest rates rise, the prices of existing bonds fall, which impacts the value of the ETFs holding these assets.
Bonds, particularly government bonds, are often seen as safer investments during recessions. When the economy is in a downturn, investors may shift their portfolios towards bonds as a "flight to safety" to protect their capital. This shift increases the demand for bonds, raising their price but reducing their yield.
