Ways To Trim Inflation Risk

By Barbara Kiviat Sunday, Sept. 28, 2003
    • If the economy continues to recover, interest rates and prices are likely to rise. But there are ways to limit inflation's bite. Last week LaSalle Bank rolled out the first inflation-protected certificates of deposit. The five-year CD yields 1.5%, the 10-year 2.5%. The rates trail those of regular CDs, but the principal values change on the basis of inflation. Another new offering: corporate bonds from Household Finance that pay interest at a rate pegged to the consumer price index. The bonds, which are riskier than those issued by the government, yielded 4.71% last week. Brokerages like Charles Schwab offer both products. Or you can opt for the original inflation-protected securities, known as TIPS, issued by the U.S. Treasury, or mutual funds that invest in them, such as PIMCO Real Return Fund or Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities.