Why Do Mutual Funds Invest in Treasury Futures?

Abstract

Asset managers’ net long positions in Treasury futures have reached their historical highs in recent months, driven in part by mutual funds’ demand for short- and medium-term Treasury futures. Analyzing mutual fund portfolio holdings reports on SEC Form N-PORT, we find that the increase in mutual funds’ futures holdings since 2020 can be attributed to both increased demand for Treasury exposures during a higher interest rate environment and mutual funds’ preference for sourcing these exposures through futures rather than securities.