Stocks get the headlines; bonds and funds do the heavy lifting.
What you will learn
Understand how bonds work and why price moves opposite to yield
Explain ETFs vs mutual funds
See why passive investing dominates
Normal vs inverted yield curve
Normal vs inverted yield curve
Long-horizon growth
Long-horizon growth
A bond is a loan
Buying a bond is lending money to an issuer (government or company) in exchange for periodic interest (the coupon) and your principal back at maturity. Bond prices and yields move inversely: when yields rise, existing bond prices fall, and vice versa.
💡 Why prices fall when rates rise
You hold a bond paying 2%. New bonds now pay 4%. Nobody wants your 2% bond at full price, so its price falls until its effective yield matches the market. The coupon is fixed; the price adjusts. This is the #1 rule of fixed income.
The yield curve
Plot bond yields by maturity and you get the yield curve. Normally it slopes up (longer = higher yield). When short-term yields exceed long-term (inverted), it has historically signaled recession. The curve is the market's collective forecast.
ETFs vs mutual funds
Both are baskets, but they trade differently. ETFs trade on an exchange all day like stocks, are usually passive and tax-efficient, with low fees. Mutual funds price once daily at NAV, are often actively managed, and carry higher fees. For most people, low-cost index ETFs win.
Why passive wins
Over decades, most active managers fail to beat their benchmark after fees. Passive index funds capture the market's average return at near-zero cost. The math is brutal: the average dollar earns the market return, and fees subtract from it. Minimizing fees is a reliable edge.
💡 The fee tax
A 2% annual fee looks small but compounds into a fortune. Over 30 years, $10,000 at 7% grows to ~$76,000; at 5% (7% minus a 2% fee) it grows to only ~$43,000. That 2% fee cost you nearly half your final wealth. Fees are the most predictable drag on returns.
❓ Quick check
When interest rates rise, existing bond prices:
A) Rise
B) Fall
C) Stay flat
D) Are unaffected
Bond prices and yields move inversely.
(Knowledge check — full exam is next)
Key takeaways
Bonds = loans; price and yield move inversely
ETFs trade intraday and are cheap; mutual funds price daily
Low fees are a reliable, compounding edge
📝 Weekly Exam — pass with 80% to unlock next week
10 questions. Review the Deep Dive and courses before attempting.
1. Buying a bond means you are:
A bond is a loan to the issuer.
2. If yields rise, a bond you already hold:
Inverse relationship: yields up → price down.
3. A normal yield curve:
Longer maturities usually yield more.
4. An inverted yield curve has historically preceded:
Inversion is a classic recession signal.
5. ETFs trade:
ETFs are exchange-traded, intraday.
6. Mutual funds price:
Daily NAV settlement.
7. Why do most active managers underperform over time?
After fees, beating the index is rare.
8. A 2% fee over 30 years can cost roughly:
Fees compound and massively erode final wealth.
9. The most reliable 'edge' for most investors is:
Low cost + discipline beats speculation.
10. A bond's coupon is:
Coupon = interest paid.
Your score: —
🛠 Weekly Project
Compare an active fund vs an index ETF over 10 years.
1
Pick a large active mutual fund and a comparable index ETF.
2
Look up their 10-year annualized returns and expense ratios.
3
Subtract fees from the active fund's gross return.
4
Write 2 sentences: which would you have rather owned, and why?