Government Bonds

A Government Bond is an IOU from the United States Treasury and is considered the safest security in the investment world. The almost unlimited ability of the United States Government to raise money is found in its capacity to acquire, by taxation or further borrowing, sufficient money to pay the interest and principal on its debts.

Government obligations run for terms ranging from a few weeks to thirty years or longer. The market value and yield of a Government Bond traded in the open market will be affected by the market values and yields of other competing fixed income instruments. Subsequently, a sale prior to maturity may result in a capital gain or loss. However, Government Bonds usually pay the lowest return rate of all securities.


Suggested Links for Additional Information on Government Bonds
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About.com's Bond Articles
A chronological, annotated list of current articles on bonds with keyword links to additional information sources.

Bloomberg Treasury Prices
Prices for U.S. Treasury securities and inflation-indexed Treasuries, updated every 15 minutes throughout the trading day.

Investinginbonds.com's Getting Started Page
Seven simple steps to educate yourself about investing in bonds.

J.P. Morgan Government Bond Index
The most widely-used benchmark for measuring performance and quantifying risk across international fixed income bond markets.

Smart Money University's Types of Bonds Page
Brief introductions to a variety of bonds.