Posts with keyword CD→
Buy I Bonds by April 30 to earn 4.28–6.06%
I just came across this Savings Bond Advisory:
Given that the current fixed base rate is 1.20%, it would much better to invest in I bonds this month rather than waiting until May 1 or later. I bonds you purchase today will earn a composite rate of 4.28% for six months, followed by six month of 6.06%. These are much higher rates than are available in bank CDs or even other US Treasury securities
“Real” and “nominal” interest rates
(This post is a part of the series on Basics of Finance and Investing.)
You have bought a 1-year CD for $10,000 at 5% interest rate. After one year you collect $10,500 – a gain of $500. What is your real gain? This depends on what $10,000 can buy one year later, compared to what it does now.
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What is a “money market”?
(This post is a part of the series on Basics of Finance and Investing.)
A money market, or “cash”, is a low-risk, short-term, liquid, debt type security. Reading from left to right, the italicized words mean – the risk of losing the principal (money you paid for the security) is low, it matures typically in a year or less, you can sell it quick, and corporations (and the government) issue these securities to borrow funds. Because of the low risk and fixed returns, a money market is an example of a fixed-income security. Following are the three major types of money markets.
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Online banking – a great alternative
Last week’s CNN Money magazine ran a short feature on online banking, which seems to be the order of the day. Gone are the snaky queues at our neighborhood branch, often with a growling stomach yearning for a delayed lunch. This visual is still futuristic, but the day may not be that far away, with virtual banks sprouting up everywhere like wild mushrooms.
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