Sovereign bond price setback shows dangers of inflated safe-haven assets

London

THE sharp price decline in the massive, multi-trillion dollar bond market in the past few weeks illustrates the dangers of purchasing so-called safe-haven assets at inflated prices.

The recent slide also shows that the US Federal Reserve, Bank of Japan, European Central Bank and Bank of England cannot control the vast bond market if global investors decide to reduce holdings.

McKinsey Global Institute estimated that the global stock of sovereign bonds (mostly developed nations) surged from US$33 trillion in 2007 to US$58 tr…