A GUARANTEED loss. That is what investing in bonds at negative yields implies: those who buy the bonds will get back less than they paid even after interest is taken into account (and some will have to pay tax on the income as well). Yet government bonds of various maturities in as many as ten countries are selling at negative yields. Why on earth would bond investors, the “masters of the universe” once famed for intimidating governments, be willing to accept such a lousy deal?