Interest Rates
M any readers have much or even
all of their money in risk-free
investments that pay interest. Over the
Interest Rates module has been care-
fully constructed to include all popular
interest-bearing investments and to
and CDs; national highs for money
funds, bank accounts and CDs; the
federal-funds rate and the prime rate.
past year, hundreds of billions of dol- provide rates or rate trends going back Besides the previous day’s rate and
lars has poured into bank certificates one year. For rates banks and other the day before that, the module shows
of deposit and money-market mutual institutions compete on, the module the direction for the week, month and
funds as interest rates have risen. provides the national average and the quarter and gives the rate six months
Rates are approaching 5 percent on highest rate available. A reader con- and a year ago.
money funds and 6 percent on CDs. sidering buying a CD from a local bank The module excludes rates on loans
The combination of a riskier stock mar- can use the national average and high- such as mortgages because Money
ket as the economic expansion ages est rate nationally to decide whether & Markets is aimed at investors, not
and higher interest rates is expected to the local rate is a good deal. borrowers. A module that reports loan
keep money flowing into interest-pay- The module reports rates on a range rates is in development and will be
ing investments. of Treasury securities; averages for available for use anywhere in a news-
Most newspapers provide little infor- corporate, state and municipal bonds; paper.
mation about rates and are missing a averages for money market mutual
chance to appeal to readers. The AP funds, bank money market accounts
EXAMPLE: Two Columns
HIGHLIGHTS: Interestrates NET 1YR
TREASURIES YEST PVS CHG WK MO QTR AGO
• Trend arrows show investors the direction
3-month T-bill 4.69 4.67 +0.02 s t t 4.91
6-month T-bill 4.84 4.86 -0.02 s s t 5.11
rates are moving. 1-year T-note 4.99 4.96 +0.03 s s s 5.33
• Six-month and year-ago rates remind 2-year T-note 4.90 4.85 +0.05 t r s 5.25
investors of longer-term trend. Yields rose after
falling below 5 per- 5-year T-note 4.97 4.95 +0.02 t s s 5.21
• Highest rates nationally allow investors to cent overnight as 10-year T-note 5.10 5.07 +0.03 s s s 5.24
assess local rates. a Fed official 30-year T-bond 5.22 5.19 +0.03 s s s 5.27
• Short story reports the latest news affect- made positive
comments on the
ing rates.
NET 1YR
mortgage market BONDS YEST PVS CHG WK MO QTR AGO
for borrowers with
poor credit. Lehman Bros Bond Idx 5.26 5.23 +0.03 s s s 5.39
Bond Buyer Muni Idx 4.86 4.86 ... s s s 4.96
Lehman US Inv Grade 5.40 5.77 -0.37 t t s 5.90
PRIME FED Lehman US High Yield 7.99 7.91 +0.08 s s s 8.73
RATE FUNDS
Moodys Bond Index 5.80 5.86 -0.06 t s s 5.99
YEST 8.25 5.25
6 MO AGO 8.25 5.25 Bank Index 113.03 113.15 -0.12 t t t 106.41
1 YR AGO 8.00 5.00 DJ Corp Bond 196.36 196.70 -0.34 t t t 182.82
MONEY MARKETS - NATIONAL AVERAGE
6-MO 1YR
Money fund data provided YLD PVS WK MO QTR AGO AGO
by iMoneyNet.inc. Taxable Retail 4.52 4.52 r s r 4.50 3.76
Tax-Free Retail 2.90 2.88 s t s 2.77 2.40
MONEY MARKETS - NATIONAL HIGHS
YLD MIN. DEPOSIT PHONE NUMBER
Transamerica Premier Cash Res/Inv Taxable Retail 5.09 $ 1,000 min (800) 892-7587
Vanguard Prime MMF/Investor Taxable Retail 5.09 $ 3,000 min (800) 662-7447
Alpine Municipal MMF/Investor Tax-Free Retail 3.51 $ 2,500 min (888) 785-5578