Monday, November 1, 2010

New Savings Bonds Rates Are Out

Series EE/E Savings Bond Rates

0.60%

I predicted 0.5%. So close!

I Savings Bonds Rates & Terms

Fixed: 0.0%
Composite: 0.74%


I predicted 0.0% and 0.74%. I nailed it. Sorry Mr. McBride. You lose.

Greg McBride is a Bankrate senior financial analyst. I think his prediction will prove to be incorrect. I think 0.0 percent is the closest thing I've seen to a "sure thing" in a long, long time. I could be wrong though. Time will tell.

Here's some doom and gloom.

You will note that my predictions did require one assumption. I had to assume that we were still in crisis mode. As seen in the charts I offered, the rates would have been higher had that not been the case. Apparently we are still in crisis mode. Woohoo! Sigh.

4 comments:

mab said...

Apparently we are still in crisis mode.

It's the new normal!

I can't wait for the return of the old normal though. You know, the old normal with 5% real returns on short rates and 8% real returns on long rates. If I can't get those, I'll just buy gold. It sound good when tossed on a counter and feels good in your hand!

Stagflationary Mark said...

mab,

I'll share something on a personal note about gold on a counter.

I did not trust the gold on my counter. I used my digital kitchen scale and a measurement of displaced water to determine if all my gold was in fact gold.

I was not entirely confident in the results.

Here's what prompted it. Stacking the Krugerrands did not give consistent results. Some stacks were slightly taller. You wouldn't see this unless you bought a lot of them though.

I'm done with the whole process. It did not offer me the restful sleep I hoped it would, and on so many levels.

Anonymous said...

Mark,
I had been buying ibonds starting in 2003, hoping to put together a down-payment on a coop here in NYC. Around 2008, I gave up on the apt. idea, and just left the ibonds alone. Your post on CR a few weeks ago reminded me that it might be a good inflation hedge, just in case. and, to get in there before Nov. 1st.
10k , paper and electronic., done.
Many thanks. And, congrats, you did nail it.
fried

Stagflationary Mark said...

I'm very glad you found the reminder useful!