Surprise! This Much-Scorned Investment Was a Winner in 2017

2017 has been an exceptional year for the stock market, and the Dow Jones Industrials (DJINDICES: ^DJI) have already risen 5,000 points this year and look poised to keep climbing. Yet even though 20%-plus returns for stocks are impressive, what's arguably even more surprising is how an asset class that came into the year with far lower expectations managed to put together solid gains as well.

The bond market hasn't been a popular place to invest lately, with rock-bottom yields and high risks from a tightening Federal Reserve. But in 2017, long-term Treasury bonds -- the bonds that arguably have the highest potential exposure to rising rates -- managed not only to avoid losses but actually came close to reaching double-digit percentage returns after including interest.