Core Insights - U.S. Treasury bonds have shown strong performance this year, with investors accelerating purchases of this risk-free asset as the risk of a federal government shutdown looms [1] - The iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT.US) is expected to see a total return of 2.72% this quarter, with a year-to-date increase of 5.7%, marking its best performance since 2020 [1] - Long-term Treasury yields have been declining, with the 10-year yield down 45.2 basis points to approximately 4.1% year-to-date, compared to 4.6% at the beginning of the year [1] Group 1 - Factors driving the strength of U.S. Treasuries include stable supply maintained by Treasury Secretary Yellen, which alleviates market supply-demand pressures, and the Federal Reserve's recent interest rate cuts to support the job market [1] - The attractiveness of bonds as a safe haven has increased amid concerns over economic growth and recession [1] - Historical data indicates that government shutdowns tend to provide short-term benefits to the bond market, with TLT averaging a 0.2% increase in the week following a shutdown [2] Group 2 - If a government shutdown lasts too long, it could create a "data vacuum," delaying the release of key economic indicators and complicating monetary policy and investment decisions [2] - The uncertainty surrounding the duration of the shutdown raises concerns about potential permanent reductions in workforce size by the Trump administration [2]

Group 1 - The U.S. Treasury reported that foreign holdings of U.S. debt increased by $233.1 billion in March, totaling $9.0495 trillion, with Japan remaining the largest foreign holder [1] - Moody's downgraded the U.S. sovereign credit rating from Aaa to Aa1, citing increasing financing burdens from the federal budget deficit and rising costs of extending existing debt under high interest rates [1][3] - The downgrade by Moody's aligns with previous actions by other major rating agencies, reflecting concerns over the growing deficit and political gridlock [3] Group 2 - The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield rose by 3 basis points to 4.48% following the downgrade, while the iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF fell approximately 1% in after-hours trading [3] - Moody's indicated that the decision to downgrade was influenced by the rising ratio of government debt and interest payments compared to similarly rated sovereign nations [6] - The total federal debt reached $36.21 trillion as of May 15, 2023, with an increase of $0.852 billion since the beginning of the month [6] Group 3 - The U.S. Treasury Secretary urged Congress to raise or suspend the debt ceiling by mid-July to avoid potential default, which could have catastrophic economic consequences [7] - Since 1960, Congress has acted 78 times to raise, temporarily extend, or modify the debt ceiling, with significant actions occurring under both Republican and Democratic administrations [7][8] - The fiscal deficit for the current fiscal year has reached $1.05 trillion, a 13% increase from the previous year, with expectations that the federal deficit will expand to nearly 9% of GDP by 2035 [8]