A major announcement in Friday’s monetary policy review was that retail investors will now be able to invest in government securities (G-Secs) directly by opening a gilt account with the central bank. The facility, called ‘Retail Direct’, will provide them online access to both the primary and secondary G-Sec markets.
There are, however, a few aspects to factor in before considering G-Secs as an investment option. Do G-Secs carry credit risk? This refers to the risk of an issuer defaulting on the payment of interest or return of principal. G-Secs, issued by …