Yes in fact it is to help the economy in a way. The treasury rates are so low in order to encourage more spending and in theory stimulate the economy.
high and low
The value of a Mississippi 100 treasury note, like other treasury notes, depends on its interest rate, maturity date, and current market conditions. Treasury notes are generally considered low-risk investments and their prices can fluctuate based on changes in interest rates and demand in the bond market. For the most accurate and current valuation, it is best to consult financial markets or resources that track government securities directly.
The economic tool used by the Federal Reserve to buy or sell U.S. Treasury bonds is called open market operations. Through these operations, the Fed can influence the money supply and interest rates in the economy. When the Fed buys Treasury bonds, it injects money into the banking system, lowering interest rates; conversely, selling bonds withdraws money, raising interest rates. This tool is a key mechanism for implementing monetary policy.
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From 1923 to about 1928, the feds had kept the rates artificially low, but this increased the chance of runaway inflation, so it had no choice but to raise it again.
Treasury rates are very low at the moment. As a matter of fact they are at historical lows. For a 5 year treasury bond the interest rate is at 1.95%
www.treasury.gov - department of Treasury will provide all the US treasury rates for you to compare rates to other banks. So before you invest anything check them out before you make the decision.
To find out the current treasury rates visit www.treasury.gov/resource-center/. These rates can change daily so if you are looking for specific information visit the website.
high and low
There are good places online you can find good rates for the treasury rates on treasury rates direct you can get a good calculation on your saving bond.
One should be able to find any information they need for the Treasury bill rates by visiting the Treasury website. Their website is sure to have all the information one would need to understand more about the bill's rates.
Information on the current treasury rates is freely available online. The Reuters and Bloomberg websites carry a wealth of jargon-free information on the subject.
Treasury rates are a bit better than CD rates at the moment. See them at http://www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/research/indepth/tbonds/res_tbond_rates.htm
The Bloomberg web site has excellent information on current Treasury Bond rates under its Market Data/Rates and Bonds link. TreasuryDirect is also an excellent web site that gives an in depth explanation about treasury bonds.
bankrate.com
Rates on U.S. government securities such as treasury bonds establish the benchmark for interest rates on all other types of loans. For example, if interest rates rise on treasury bonds, interest rates on consumer loans, car loans and mortgages are almost certain to increase as well. An investor owning individual treasury bond securities would see the value of his bond holdings decline as interest rates increase since there is an inverse relationship between interest rates and bond prices. A loss would occur if an investor sold treasury bond holdings after they declined in value due to a rise in interest rates. A loss on treasury bond holdings could be avoided if the investor holds the bonds to maturity since at that time, the full face value of the bond would be paid to the investor.
If I am not mistake, the current U.S. treasury interest rates at about 7%. However, these may rise due to threats from Moody' to downgrade the U.S's credit if they do not do something about their deficit spending.