The global bond market is the main component of the capital market, being about three times larger than the global equity markets. In 2009, the global bond market (total outstanding debt) was estimated to be $82.2 trillion; the US dominated the bond market with th outstanding U.S. bond debt at approximately $35.2 trillion. Risk-free forward interest rates - and their realization by US Treasury bonds as the leading exemplar - have been studied extensively. The bond market considers US Treasury bonds as being risk-free instruments and consequently have the lowest yields.
