United States Treasury security

What are Treasury Securities?

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• published: 26 Feb 2015
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Welcome to the Investors Trading Academy talking glossary of financial terms and events. Our word of the day is “Treasury Securities” These U.S. government-issued debt securities are divided into three categories by maturity dates: Treasury bonds mature in 10 or more years, Treasury notes mature between one and 10 years and Treasury bills mature in one year or less. These debt obligations are considered the safest option for bond investors since they are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. But that safety comes at a price: The interest rates on Treasury’s are lower than other bonds with the same duration. Treasury securities are divided into three categories according to their lengths of maturities. These three types of bonds share many common characteristics, but also have some key differences. The categories and key features of treasury securities include: T-Bills – These have the shortest range of maturities of all government bonds at 4, 13, 26 and 52 weeks. They are the only type of treasury security found in both the capital and money markets, as three of the maturity terms fall under the 270-day dividing line between them. T-Bills are issued at a discount and mature at par value, with the difference between the purchase and sale prices constituting the interest paid on the bill. T-Notes – These notes represent the middle range of maturities in the treasury family, with maturity terms of 2, 3, 5, 7 and 10 years currently available. Treasury notes are issued at a $1,000 par value and mature at the same price. They pay interest semiannually. T-Bonds – Commonly referred to in the investment community as the “long bond”, T-Bonds are essentially identical to T-Notes except that they mature in 30 years. T-Bonds are also issued at and mature at a $1,000 par value and pay interest semiannually. By Barry Norman, Investors Trading Academy