Butterfly Trade Question

Question on an MM mock exam that I’m having trouble with regarding butterfly trades

Slope Current 12 month Expected
2yr-5yr 68 bps 68bps
2y-10yr 146bps 116 bps
2yr-20yr 163 bps 163bps

-Looking at the spread, the 10yr yield is dropping, and there’s less curvative, therefore you want to long the bullet, and short the barbell.

The question was “Construct a duration neutral trade”.

I said positive butterfly trade because i was under the impression that a positive butterfly trade is long bullet, short barbell. However, the answer is a negative butterfly trade. The answer is also stating that a negative butterfly trade is long bullet, short barbell.

Can someone please clarify the action of a negative and positive butterfly trade?

Construct hasn’t been a valid command word since 2020.

Hey BC, hope all is well!

If the question was re-worded to state determine what trade you should take “Positive butterfly Trade” , “Negative butterfly trade”, which would you circle?