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government bonds

Capital gains tax on gilts

UK government bonds are down, which is terrible news. Except that it means future returns are up!

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Opportunities in index-linked gilts

A unique portfolio asset, with an ‘interesting’ personality…

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The untold story of the UK’s worst bond market crash.

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Bond terms jargon buster

Our bond terms explainer – busting bond jargon for longer than we care to think about.

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The aftermath of the September Mini Budget was chaotic. But already almost all of the damage has been washed away.

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So you think bonds are bad? That’s a shame, because they haven’t looked this good for a decade.

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How to choose a bond fund

How to think through choosing your bond funds.

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Rising bond yields mean short-term pain but eventually long-term gain. Discover how it works.

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Ideas for your defensive asset allocation. What to use and why

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Do you think bonds are old hat? Do you fear a bond crash? Then read this riposte.

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Unhedged US Treasuries been better for UK investors in stock market crashes for the last two decades. What’s going on?

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Let’s look at how we can passively invest in bonds. To do so, we need to know what indices contain which types of bonds.

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When the US bond market flaps its wings in New York, a share trader in London has a dizzy fit. (Well, almost.)

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Lars Kroijer explains how to match your bond allocation to your time horizon, and considers what kind of returns you might enjoy. (Or not enjoy, these days…)

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Why are we told to own very low risk assets in our portfolio, and what kinds of investments fulfill this role?

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Interest rates are very low. What unwanted problems could this be causing?

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The bond crash: Is this it?

Government bonds have bounced all around in the past few days, after the world’s leading Central Bankers said they don’t much care if prices fall. Should you?

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Why would anyone want bonds in their portfolio? Here’s the lowdown on the part that different bond types have to play.

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I know they’re boring and the future returns look lousy, but if you’re not going to hold any bonds make sure you know what you’re missing.

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Do you expect a crash in the government bond market? I don’t blame you, though nothing is certain. Here’s how to estimate the pain it would cause if it came to pass.

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Are you sitting securely, and do you have a stiff drink to hand? Here’s how to estimate how your bond fund will fare if interest rates start to rise.

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After a storming year, gilt funds must surely fall as interest rates rise. Should passive investors adjust their asset allocation to avoid losses?

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Should we be as worried as the markets are about equities, or should we more fear low bond yields? It really depends on our time horizon.

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Gilts (UK government bonds)

An introduction to gilts – the fancy name for UK government bonds that are sold by The Treasury to balance the nation’s books.

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