TED spread investment & finance definition
The
difference between the rate for Treasury bills and the rate for Eurodollar
bills. The acronym stands for Treasuries/Eurodollar
spread. The TED spread is created by taking simultaneous but opposite
positions in both Eurodollar and T-bill futures contracts that have the same
maturity. Traders create this spread to bet on the general direction of
interest rates. The difference in price is an indicator of credit risk. If the
TED spread increases, it indicates increasing credit risk, and if it decreases,
it indicates falling credit risk.
See TED spread in Wall Street Words
The price spread that occurs when opposing transactions are made in Treasury bill futures and Eurodollar futures as, for example, a long position in Treasury bill futures coupled with a short position in Eurodollar futures. A long spread that anticipates the price spread between the two contracts will widen could involve buying a T-bill future and simultaneously selling a Eurodollar future. A short spread in which a Eurodollar future is purchased and a T-bill future is sold short would anticipate a narrowing of the price spread.