Question: How did the bond market perform in 2016? Was it as expected? Why do you think it performed the way it did? How do you think it will perform in the coming year? During the last 7 years the US Federal Debt has doubled. Economic theory says that as the demand for funding increases the rate of interest will go up. During this time there has been almost no increase in interest rates. This then must be cause something has offset the increase in US debt. What would you think that might be? What has kept interest rates from rising while US debt has risen?