Core Viewpoint - The U.S. bond market is becoming a crucial asset allocation choice for investors to manage stock market volatility, especially as the Federal Reserve's interest rate hike cycle approaches its end [1] Group 1: Market Structure and Characteristics - The multi-tiered market structure meets diverse needs, with U.S. Treasuries serving as the risk-free rate benchmark, influencing global asset pricing [3] - Investment-grade corporate bonds offer a credit premium of 150-250 basis points over Treasuries, while high-yield bonds provide an 8%-12% coupon to compensate for default risk [3] - Inflation-protected securities (TIPS) and convertible bonds are emerging as new tools to combat volatility, with TIPS linked to the CPI index [3] Group 2: Risks and Challenges - Interest rate risk is a core challenge, as bond prices move inversely to yields; a 1% increase in the 10-year Treasury yield could lead to a price drop of over 10% for long-term bonds [3] - The yield curve is currently deeply inverted, indicating recession risks while providing a window for positioning in medium to long-term bonds [3] - Credit risk requires dynamic assessment, with default rates for investment-grade bonds typically below 0.5%, while high-yield bonds can see rates of 5%-8% during economic downturns [5] Group 3: Currency and Liquidity Considerations - Currency fluctuations significantly impact cross-border returns, with a 14% appreciation of the dollar in 2022 leading to negative real returns for RMB-denominated holdings of U.S. Treasuries [5] - Daily trading volume for Treasuries exceeds $600 billion, with minimal bid-ask spreads, while high-yield corporate bonds may face 2%-5% price spread losses [5] - Retail investors are advised to use bond ETFs to mitigate liquidity shocks associated with individual bonds [5] Group 4: Strategic Recommendations - Current strategies for U.S. Treasury allocation should focus on a threefold balance: employing a barbell strategy with short-term and ultra-long-term Treasuries to address interest rate uncertainty [7] - Credit risk exposure should be limited to 20% of the portfolio, prioritizing corporate bonds with cash flow coverage ratios exceeding three times [7] - For holdings exceeding one year, hedging tools are recommended to manage currency risk, especially during periods of anticipated shifts in Federal Reserve policy [7]