Investopedia explains 'Term Structure Of Interest Rates'
In general terms, yields increase in line with maturity, giving rise to an upward sloping yield curve or a "normal yield curve." One basic explanation for this phenomenon is that lenders demand higher interest rates for longer-term loans as compensation for the greater risk associated with them, in comparison to short-term loans. Occasionally, long-term yields may fall below short-term yields, creating an "inverted yield curve" that is generally regarded as a harbinger of recession.
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