31 C.F.R. Appendix C to Part 356—Investment Considerations
Title 31 - Money and Finance: Treasury
I. Inflation-Protected Securities A. Principal and Interest Variability An investment in securities with principal or interest determined by reference to an inflation index involves factors not associated with an investment in a fixed-principal security. Such factors include the possibility that: • The inflation index may be subject to significant changes, • changes in the index may or may not correlate to changes in interest rates generally or with changes in other indices, • the resulting interest may be greater or less than that payable on other securities of similar maturities, and • in the event of sustained deflation, the amount of the semiannual interest payments, the inflation-adjusted principal of the security, and the value of stripped components will decrease. However, if at maturity the inflation-adjusted principal is less than a security's par amount, we will pay an additional amount so that the additional amount plus the inflation-adjusted principal equals the par amount. Regardless of whether or not we pay such an additional amount, we will always base interest payments on the inflation-adjusted principal as of the interest payment date. If a security has been stripped, we will pay any such additional amount at maturity to holders of principal components only. (See §356.30.) B. Trading in the Secondary Market The Treasury securities market is the largest and most liquid securities market in the world. The market for Treasury inflation-protected securities, however, may not be as active or liquid as the market for Treasury fixed-principal securities. In addition, Treasury inflation-protected securities may not be as widely traded or as well understood as Treasury fixed-principal securities. Lesser liquidity and fewer market participants may result in larger spreads between bid and asked prices for inflation-protected securities than the bid-asked spreads for fixed-principal securities with the same time to maturity. Larger bid-asked spreads normally result in higher transaction costs and/or lower overall returns. The liquidity of an inflation-protected security may be enhanced over time as we issue additional amounts or more entities participate in the market. C. Tax Considerations Treasury inflation-protected securities and the stripped interest and principal components of these securities are subject to specific tax rules provided by Treasury regulations issued under sections 1275(d) and 1286 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. D. Indexing Issues While the Consumer Price Index (“CPI”) measures changes in prices for goods and services, movements in the CPI that have occurred in the past do not necessarily indicate changes that may occur in the future. The calculation of the index ratio incorporates an approximate three-month lag, which may have an impact on the trading price of the securities, particularly during periods of significant, rapid changes in the index. The CPI is reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a bureau within the Department of Labor. The Bureau of Labor Statistics operates independently of Treasury and, therefore, we have no control over the determination, calculation, or publication of the index. For a discussion of how we will apply the CPI in various situations, see Appendix B, Section I, Paragraph B of this part. In addition, for a discussion of actions that we would take in the event the CPI is: discontinued; in the judgment of the Secretary, fundamentally altered in a manner materially adverse to the interests of an investor in the security; or, in the judgment of the Secretary, altered by legislation or Executive Order in a manner materially adverse to the interests of an investor in the security, see Appendix B, Section I, Paragraph B.4 of this part.
Title 31: Money and Finance: Treasury
PART 356—SALE AND ISSUE OF MARKETABLE BOOK-ENTRY TREASURY BILLS, NOTES, AND BONDS (DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY CIRCULAR, PUBLIC DEBT SERIES NO. 1–93)
Subpart D—Miscellaneous Provisions
Appendix C to Part 356—Investment Considerations
