Market Segmentation Theory

Also called the "Segmented Markets Theory", this idea states that most investors have set preferences regarding the length of maturities that they will invest in. Market segmentation theory maintains that the buyers and sellers in each of the different maturity lengths cannot be easily substituted for each other. An offshoot to this theory is that if an investor chooses to invest outside their term of preference, they must be compensated for taking on that additional risk. This is known as the Preferred Habitat Theory.