Many have remained on the sidelines, locked in fixed income or commodity alternatives, worrying over nearly everything under the sun.

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The PBGC pension amounts are locked-in to a fixed dollar amount.

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With their borrowing costs largely locked in for several years at fixed rates, they were little affected in the short run by the rise in rates.

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While you don't want your heirs to be locked into a Treasury note portfolio, neither do you want them to think that equities are certain to beat fixed income.

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This is where a borrower can get a lower fixed rate, say 5.5% for five years (the bait), but is then locked in (or "hooked") for another two or three years on a higher, variable rate.

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