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A drop in bond yields could signal a long-awaited break for would-be homebuyers

Jun 18, 2024
Falling interest rates on Treasuries could lead to lower mortgage rates, which are key to a recovery in the housing market.
While moderately lower rates may push some prospective buyers to jump in, rates may have to fall a lot before current homeowners give up their pre-2022 mortgages.
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Why are bond prices up right now? And what difference does it make?

Jun 17, 2024
Rising bond prices mean lower interest rates, indicating that the market is betting on rate cuts by the Federal Reserve.
As bond prices rise, bond yields fall. That's good for their owners — as well as consumers, people shopping for mortgages and others.
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Ten-year bond yields theoretically signal the levels of interest rates years into the future.
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Why are long-term bond yields so high? Even Jerome Powell wants to know

Nov 10, 2023
Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell said that we “don’t really know” why long-term bond yields have been going up.
Hasn't Powell been listening to "Marketplace?"
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Japan loosens its grip on long-term interest rates

Oct 31, 2023
The Bank of Japan’s "yield curve control policy" could be on its way out as central banks around the world raise rates to beat inflation.
Until recently, the Bank of Japan was trying to keep interest rates on bonds low to stimulate the economy. Above, the Bank of Japan building.
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Corporate debt is getting more expensive. That's not necessarily a problem.

Oct 27, 2023
Both government and corporate bond yields have been climbing. For many companies, though, higher revenue more than covers the cost.
A lot of companies sold bonds to investors a few years ago, when interest rates were low.
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Why are bond yields so high right now?

Oct 23, 2023
The yield on the 10-year Treasury briefly hit 5%, the highest level since 2007. A resilient economy and expanding debt are pushing rates up.
For a while, bond markets expected a weaker economy and possible rate cuts by the Federal Reserve in 2024.
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Climbing 10-year Treasury yield signals costlier future for buying, borrowing

Aug 18, 2023
If the Federal Reserve needs to keep interest rates higher to continue battling inflation, 10-year yields will have to compete.
The Treasury Department is issuing a lot of bonds to pay for recent government spending. Above, a statue of Alexander Hamilton outside the agency's offices.
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Corporate bond yields have been rising, too

Mar 23, 2021
Bond investors are demanding higher corporate bond yields. That's a good sign about where the economy's headed this year.
Bond investors expect inflation to pick up this year, though Fed Chair Powell doesn't expect it to have a lasting impact on overall inflation.
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

U.S. bond auction will test if yields are high enough to attract buyers

Mar 9, 2021
The government needs to plow out of a lot of debt from previous COVID-19 rescue packages and the potential $1.9 trillion in additional aid.
On Wednesday, the government will auction 10-year Treasury notes. But demand for government bonds has not been so hot lately.
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