Juli Niemann, analyst with Smith Moore & Company, explains what's got bond yields rising.

Stocks are risky, but bonds are safe — or so goes the stereotype. But what about bond mutual funds?

The value of the benchmark 10-year Treasury note is down, amid signs the U.S. economy is gathering strength. The yield is up to 2.14 percent, and 30-year mortgage rates are inching close to 4 percent, the highest in a year.

Chances are the Dow could end up with a loss for the week. But the big story may be bonds.

Emigrants are estimated to have $400 billion in savings, and some are investing the money at home.

The value of the Japanese yen fell to its lowest level in four years after a huge monetary stimulus package was unveiled last week, and the effects of the stimulus are starting to be felt far away from Japan.

Japan is fed up with deflation and a sluggish economy, and its central bank is getting aggressive. Today, the Bank of Japan launched a sweeping bond-buying program to pump money into the economy.

Many school districts around the country are making use of capital appreciation bonds, long-term bonds that can put them into debt for far more than they initially borrowed.