Why would an investor pay a central bank to hold their money? There are only two reasons I can think of. One, you are speculating that another investor will come along and pay a higher price to buy the bonds from you (current European Union Central Bank scenario) or two, you are seeking safety in a very unstable environment where your only concern is the return of your principal.
Today’s negative yields are the manifestation of central bank policy pushed to an extreme.
Germany sold two-year government debt at a record low yield of minus 0.38 per cent on Wednesday, in a move reflecting expectations of further monetary easing for the eurozone next month. The policy-sensitive two-year bond offers a coupon of zero,
