INTEREST RATES The Real And Nominal Risk-Free Rates (partial coverage) be able to explain: what real means as used by economists what the opposite of real is what a positive real rate of interest is what a negative real rate of interest is who sets long-term interest rates the difference between the nominal risk-free rate and the real risk-free rate which is represented by the rate on U.S. Treasuries, the nominal risk-free rate or the real risk-free rate regarding the types of U.S. Treasury securities we learn