Definition of laddered portfolio

bond investment portfolio holding equal amounts of each security in each maturity range over, say a ten-year period. In rising rates, assets can be shifted to longer maturities. Money market and foreign exchange traders also utilize portfolio laddering in listing maturities, either day-by-day or month-by-month, of outstanding contracts so they can more easily control the maturity gap or mismatch between different portfolio assets. Contrast with barbell portfolio.