“Norges Bank Investment Management said in a letter to the country’s finance ministry on Tuesday that it recommended reducing the weighting of government debt in the fund’s benchmark bond index from 70 per cent to 50 per cent.
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A lower Treasury allocation for Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global would be offset by purchases of riskier fixed-income products, particularly debt such as mortgage-backed securities.
…
These MBS are largely backed by government agencies, meaning Norway’s exposure to the risk of a US government default is only being reduced modestly. They do, however, offer slightly higher yields than Treasuries because of the risk that mortgages are repaid early” [1].
"NBIM plans to increase its holdings of nongovernment U.S. fixed income, such as corporate bonds, to 27.6% from 16.2%.
CEO Nicolai Tangen and Norway’s central bank chief, Ida Wolden Bache, said the fund could earn higher premiums by diversifying into riskier assets, such as mortgage-backed securities, which they judge as well positioned to weather as a long-term investor."
Indeed, but as US treasuries yield go, so do mortgage rates. Do mortgage backed securities carry more risk than US treasuries? Maybe not. Those with mortgages are highly incentivized to continue to pay their mortgages every month, while the US government doesn't appear willing to stop growing the debt. Those quote in JumpCrisscross' comment explains this.
TLDR More yield for similar risk profile while pushing up mortgage rates over time (all US consumer debt is priced off of US treasury yields). Watch the 10Y and 30Y curves for where the market thinks rates are going.
Taxes are already pretty massive; there is only so much you can take without consequences.
US taxes (state, federal, and local) are approaching
30 cents on every dollar, and that is with the Fed spending ~135% of revenues each year.
You might point out that many Europeans have higher taxes, and they do. However, they also have healthcare and generous national pensions. Americans have to pay for those after taxes.
This makes it hard to freeze services and raise taxes.
When the map disagrees with reality, keep following the map?
Government tightening policy has always lead to spending being moved around, and combined with tax cuts that makes for larger deficits. Every single time.
What needs to be more efficient is the health insurance system. Pretty much any other civilized country could be looked at for inspiration. Then the military. Taxes needs to at least be kept intact and fiscal policy needs to improve.
The sad fact is that the political system makes the easy solution impossible. We know that after half a century. The open question is what the possible avenues are.
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A lower Treasury allocation for Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global would be offset by purchases of riskier fixed-income products, particularly debt such as mortgage-backed securities.
…
These MBS are largely backed by government agencies, meaning Norway’s exposure to the risk of a US government default is only being reduced modestly. They do, however, offer slightly higher yields than Treasuries because of the risk that mortgages are repaid early” [1].
[1] https://www.ft.com/content/ecc15aa6-6e7b-409d-8753-2fb6aadd0...
"NBIM plans to increase its holdings of nongovernment U.S. fixed income, such as corporate bonds, to 27.6% from 16.2%.
CEO Nicolai Tangen and Norway’s central bank chief, Ida Wolden Bache, said the fund could earn higher premiums by diversifying into riskier assets, such as mortgage-backed securities, which they judge as well positioned to weather as a long-term investor."
[0] https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/04/worlds-biggest-sovereign-wea...
TLDR More yield for similar risk profile while pushing up mortgage rates over time (all US consumer debt is priced off of US treasury yields). Watch the 10Y and 30Y curves for where the market thinks rates are going.
(think in systems)
The truth is we need to drastically shrink the size of the federal government. Its unbelievably inefficient.
The GOP and DOGE tried that and the national debt has since skyrocketed due to corruption and illegal wars.
US taxes (state, federal, and local) are approaching 30 cents on every dollar, and that is with the Fed spending ~135% of revenues each year.
You might point out that many Europeans have higher taxes, and they do. However, they also have healthcare and generous national pensions. Americans have to pay for those after taxes. This makes it hard to freeze services and raise taxes.
The US has to get more efficient.
Government tightening policy has always lead to spending being moved around, and combined with tax cuts that makes for larger deficits. Every single time.
What needs to be more efficient is the health insurance system. Pretty much any other civilized country could be looked at for inspiration. Then the military. Taxes needs to at least be kept intact and fiscal policy needs to improve.
The sad fact is that the political system makes the easy solution impossible. We know that after half a century. The open question is what the possible avenues are.