Historically low interest rates have put a damper on income for many investors. CDs, Treasury notes and other guaranteed investments, while once a source of modest income, have lagged over the years. For example, the typical five-year CD interest rate is 0.82%, and the five-year daily treasury yield curve rate is 1.83%.* That means many investors have had to adjust their expectations or look to other, more risky, investments to help them pursue income.

Quantitative Easing on Turbocharge in Major Economies

In response to the global financial crisis and the muted growth that persists years later, central banks across the globe have aggressively expanded their balance sheets using a range of both traditional and unconventional policy tools. As of the end of June, the combined balance sheets of the U.S. Federal Reserve, European Central Bank and Bank of  Japan totaled over $12.1 trillion — a  283% increase since June 2007. Never before have the balance sheets of the central banks of these major economies  been so inflated.

U.S. Economy: Not an Environment for Aggressive Monetary Policy Tightening

It’s been said, and feared, for years that U.S. interest rates will quickly rise once the Federal Reserve starts to reverse course, resulting in declines in the prices of fixed income securities. Since the infamous “Taper Tantrum” in mid-2013, the Federal Reserve has been carefully trying to step away from the unprecedented easy money policy it has employed since the financial crisis. Yet, the power of the U.S. to  act in isolation has diminished over the past decade.